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Shari‘a & Tarīqa

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Islamic Law and Purification of the Heart
In the name of Allah; the Mos Gracious, the Mos Merciful.
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all the worlds; and peace and
blessings be upon the mos Honorable of Messengers, Muúammad,
and upon his family and companions, and all those who follow them
in righteousness, until the Day of Judgment.
Truly, my prayer and my service of sacrifce, my life and my death, are
all for Allah, the Cherisher of the Worlds...
Shari‘a
&

as he had passed away eighteen years before my birth on the 4
th
of Jumóda
al-Awwal, 1296/1879. Similarly, I never met Shaikh Muúammad Ismó‘īl
Jhanjhāhnwī
8
, Kóndhelwī, then Dehlawī because he passed away in Delhi
in Nawāb Walõ Masjid on the 4
th
of Shawwól, 1315/1898, approximately
twenty days after my birth. I heard from our elders that when my [pater-
nal] grandfather heard the news of my birth he said, “My replacement has
come and now it is time for my departure.” I have heard numerous stories
about the elders of the Imdād Allóh family.
I met Shaikh Gangohī many times because he passed away when I
was eight years old on the 8
th
of Jumóda al-Thónõ, 1323/1905 in Gangoh
[U.P., India]. I clearly recall his countenance and how he sat cross-legged
on the grounds of the sanctum. Once he wrapped his hands around me
and embraced me [I remember eating with him on various occasions and
sitting with him in a palanquin carried by the greatest spiritual mentors
(shuyñkh) of the time to the ‘Eid prayer area]. This was the enlightened era
of Shari‘a and Taüawwuf.
After that I had the opportunity to stay with my spiritual mentor,
the Venerable Khalīl Aúmad Sahāranpñrī,
9
from Rajab 1328/1910 to Dhu
al-Qa‘da 1345/1926, excluding the year in which Shaikh al-Hind [Shaikh
Maúmñd al-ûasan
10
] and my Shaikh Khalīl Aúmad Sahāranpñrī were in
ûijóz [region of Makka and Medina]. I left Madina on the 16
th
of Dhu
al-Qa‘da 1345/1927 whereas my spiritual mentor passed away [approximate-
ly five months later] in Madina on the 16
th
of Rabī‘ al-Thónõ 1346/1927.
Although I was present during the lifetime of Shaikh al-Hind Maúmñd
al-ûasan [he passed away on the 18
th
of Rabī‘ al-Awwal 1339/1920], I saw
little of him as he was in prison for many years in Malta. The only times I
saw him was when he visited Deoband before and after his imprisonment.
However, I met his students, spiritual students and the elders of Deoband
numerous times.
3
Introduction
I also saw much of Shāh ‘Abd al-Raúīm
11
before he passed away
on the 24
th
of Rabī‘ al-Thónõ 1338/1920. I also had the opportunity to
spend a lot of time with “The One Who Linked the Younger Spiritual
Mentors to the Older Ones” [mulúiq al-aüóghir bi al-akóbir], Shaikh
Ashraf ‘Alõ Thānwī, as he passed away on the 12
th
of Rajab 1362/1943. I
attach the title of “mulúiq al-aüóghir bi al-akóbir” to his name because
Shaikh Thānwī
12
gained his successorship [khilófa] from al-ûāj Imdād
Allóh, which means that he was the primary link between the younger
generation of seekers [murõds] and successors [khulafó] and the older
generation of mentors [i.e. al-ûāj Imdād Allóh, ûófiþ ïómin, Shaikh
Muúammad Thónwõ etc.].
In Shari‘a, Shaikh Thānwī obtained permission [ijāza] of hadith from
Shaikh Faþl al-Raúmón Ganj Murādabādī
13
who obtained permission from
Shāh ‘Abd ‘Azõz.
14
Therefore, it is narrated in the book Arwóú-e-Thalótha
15

that ûakīm Ni‘mat Allóh asked Shaikh Ganj Murādabādī, “Has the Shai-
kh read any aúódõth from Shāh ‘Abd al-Azīz?” “Yes,” he replied. ûakīm
Ni‘mat Allóh said, “If you give me permission [to transmit these aúódõth],
I will also gain the blessings of this chain.” After narrating a few aúódõth
from Mishkāt al-Maüóbõú,
16
he [Shaikh Ganj Murādabādī] said, “I give you
permission.” After that, he advised me about the importance of practicing
upon one’s knowledge.
I always desired to get permission from Shaikh Thónwõ to gain his
high chain [sanad] and even journeyed many times to Thāna Bavan for
this purpose, but was too ashamed to ask. How was I going to ask for
permission when I didn’t even know anything? Though I never obtained a
chain from Hazrat Thónwõ, many of my own students did, thus gaining a
higher chain than myself.
Furthermore, I saw much of the life of Shaikh of Islam, Shaikh ûus-
sain Madanī
17
before he passed away on the 12
th
of Jumóda al-Awwal 1377/
December 4, 1957 in Deoband. I also observed the life of my guardian,
the Imam of Humility, Shaikh ‘Abd al-Qādir Raipñrī
18
because he passed
away on the 14
th
of Rabī‘ al-Awwal, 1382/August 15, 1962. I was fortunate
to sit in his company on numerous occasions. I also spent a great deal of
time with my respected uncle, the Imam of Tablõgh, Shaikh Ilyós
19
because
he passed away on the 21
st
of Rajab 1363/July 12, 1944.
I needed to mention the era of these spiritual mentors to show that
every inch of Du ôba was a center of Shari‘a and Taüawwuf through the
blessings of these guiding lights and that we inherited the understanding
of the inseparable nature of Shari‘a and Taüawwuf from them.
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
4
@
THE INSEPARABILITY OF SHARI‘A AND TAýAWWUF
Thus, the understanding of the oneness of Shari‘a and Taüawwuf was em-
bedded in me from childhood and became an indelible part of my nature.
It is a rule that whatever makes its mark during childhood is like ‘carving
on a stone.’ Though most people have never witnessed a lion tearing the
flesh of its prey or a snake when it bites, no one can remove the fear and
terror associated with such thoughts as they are embedded from childhood.
During my student years when I was studying Mishkāt al-Maüóbõú, I
read the famous hadith of Jibra’õl e. He came to the Blessed Prophet s to
teach mankind the basics of Dõn. After õmón and Islam we read:
ُهاَرَ ت َكّن َ اَ ك َ لا َدُبْعَ ت ْنَ أ َ لاَ ق ناَسْحِْ لا اَم
“What is iúsān?”
The Blessed Prophet s replied,
“To worship Allah u as if you see him.”
20
This is the essence of Taüawwuf and Sulñk. Both these [Taüawwuf and
Sulñk] and any other name given to this blessed science all come under the
fold of iúsón. Then, as I continued studying different books of aúódõth, I
became so convinced of the inseparable nature of Shari‘a and Taüawwuf
that if I heard anything against it, I considered it ignorance and indiffer-
ence towards the subject. Likewise, if I ever heard anything against the
pure and pristine Shari‘a, which is derived from the Qur’an; the Sunna of
the Blessed Prophet s, which is the most authoritative exposition of the
Qur’an; and then fiqh [Islamic jurisprudence], which is the pith of both the
Qur’an and Sunna, I disregarded it and thought it unworthy of my time.
When I heard some people, ignorant in matters of Dõn, say, “What-
ever immediate meaning we understand from the Qur’an is the true
meaning, there is no need for all these exegeses [tafāsīr],” I thought it
insane. If it was truly that easy to deduce meanings from the Qur’an,
then what was the need to send a prophet of Allah u? The Qur’an could
have been hung from the Ka‘ba and people could have taken whatever
meaning they understood from it. One of the main reasons for sending
prophets was that they embodied the meaning of their revealed books
and demonstrated it in their practical life. Through them, the Dõn was
given a perfect complete form and became a ‘way of life.’
5
Introduction
@
THE BLESSED PROPHET s WAS MADE TO FORGET
In this regard, it is Allah u’s great blessing upon me that I never doubt-
ed any of the injunctions or rulings of the Shari‘a. I had gained insight
[baüõra] into the rules and matters of Shari‘a in a way that left no room
for doubt. This is because the Blessed Prophet s came to this world to
give the Shari‘a a practical shape. Therefore, he was made to perform cer-
tain acts which fulfilled the objective [of putting the Shari‘a in a practical
shape] without relegating his status as a prophet of Allah u.
For example, the Blessed Prophet s and his Companions l once
missed Fajr while on a journey [this is in juxtaposition to the lives of many
of the followers of the Blessed Prophet s who succeeded them and who
could not sleep after two in the morning]. The hadith masters [muúad-
dithñn] disagree as to whether the Blessed Prophet s missed Fajr once or
more than once. This is mentioned in detail in Aujaz al-Masālik. My own
opinion is that it occurred on three different occasions.
There is an important lesson of Taüawwuf in this incident. The Blessed
Prophet s was not in the habit of asking who was going to wake him for
üalót. It is narrated in Bukhārī that the Companions l requested, “O
Blessed Prophet s, rest for a while.” The Blessed Prophet s replied, “I
fear that Fajr will be missed,” but Sayyidunó Bilal g assured him, “I will
wake you up.”
This incident raises two issues of Taüawwuf. Firstly, that the
Blessed Prophet s feared he would miss Fajr as Arab custom was to
travel in the first part of the night and rest in the last. Why did the
Blessed Prophet s say, “I fear Fajr will be missed?” This proves that
the spiritual mentors are sometimes forewarned of events before they
transpire or feel when something is amiss. Secondly, that Sayyidunó
Bilal g said, “I will wake you up.” In Aujaz, it says that this incident
was a stern message to Sayyidunó Bilal g for saying “I will wake you
up.” When the Blessed Prophet s felt they would not wake up for Fajr,
his fear materialized through Sayyidunó Bilal’s g assurance, “I will
wake you up.”
21
But this raises the objection that if the stopover [lailat al-ta‘rīs]
happened several times [i.e. on different journeys], as is the opinion of
many scholars, then this statement of Sayyidunó Bilal g could only have
been said at the most on one occasion. The answer to this is that his state-
ment relates to one occasion only. As for the other occasions, the reasons
behind the Blessed Prophet s missing Fajr on them were different.
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
6
Likewise, never did an objection enter my heart about the Blessed
Prophet s forgetting in his üalót since he himself said,
ّنُسَ ِل ىَسْن ُ ا ْنِكَلَو ىَسْنَ أ َ ل ْىّنِإ
I do not forget but am made to forget in order to show the way.
22
This essentially means, “I am to teach you the rulings related to when
you forget in your üalót and the rulings about the ‘prostration of forgetful-
ness’ [sajdat al-sahw].” This hadith has been explained in detail in Aujaz
[1/217] under the chapter, ‘What to Do When One is Mistaken in ýalót.’
@
SINS AND CONFLICTS OF COMPANIONS l
WAS FOR COMPLETION OF DöN
Likewise, some Companions l felt no guilt at the time of committing
major sins, whereas, the great spiritual masters [mashó’ ikh] could not
even imagine committing such sins. Though the greatest of spiritual mas-
ters cannot reach the level of the lowest ranking of the Companions l,
the narrations which mention the sins of the Companions l did not in-
cite me to object against them. It was the blessed company of my elders and
also the study of aúódõth that preserved my faith in the Companions l.
I believed that whatever sins the Companions l committed, were des-
tined for them and that they were destined to commit sins in order to
perfect the Dõn of Allah u. These blessed souls surrendered their whole
lives in the path of Allah u as if to say, “Perfect the pure Shari‘a. We are
willing to be stoned, have our hands cut off, and throw ourselves in the
way of anything to fulfill this noble cause.” In my view the aya:
ٍتاَنَسَح ْمِ هِتاَئّ ِيَس ُهّ للا ُ ل ّ ِدَبُي َكِئَلوُ أَف
Then Allah u will replace the evils of such people by good deeds
23
and the hadith of repentance in which it is narrated that Allah u will say
[on the Day of Judgment], “convert every bad deed into a good deed,” is
about them.
7
Introduction
Abñ Dharr g narrates that the Blessed Prophet s said, “A man will
be brought before Allah u on the Day of Judgment [this hadith does not
refer to a specific individual but to a class of people who will all be dealt
with in the same manner. This is confirmed in another hadith where we
find the word ‘people’ [nós] used instead of the word ‘man’ [rajul ]]. The
angels will be ordered to read out to him his small sins without mention-
ing his major sins. He will be informed that he committed such and such
sin on such and such day and this and that sin on such and such day.
In this way, he will be forced to admit all his [minor] sins. In his heart,
though, he is more worried about his major sins being revealed. Allah u
will then say, ‘Change all his sins to good deeds.’ At that moment, he will
say, ‘O my Lord, but I have others sins I do not see here.’”
24
Sayyidunó Abñ Dharr g says, “I saw the Blessed Prophet s smiling,
the front of his beautiful teeth showing, when he narrated this part of
the hadith.”
25
In another hadith, Sayyidunó Abñ Huraira g narrates that the Blessed
Prophet s said, “On the Day of Judgment, some people will wish they had
committed many sins in this world.” The Companions l asked, “Who
are these people?” “They are the people whose sins will be converted into
good deeds,” he replied.
26
We should remember that the conversion of sins to good deeds on the
Day of Judgment is like the example of a president granting clemency to a
criminal. Though he has the power to overrule an order of execution [even
if the murderer is being led to the death chamber at the time], no one else
thinks of committing the same crime and hoping for clemency from the
president. However, the Companions l are an exception to this rule; I
have full faith in that all the Companions l will be granted forgiveness
only because the aúódõth which narrate their excellence and greatness in
Dõn prove that they are most deserving of it.
@
TWO INCIDENTS OF FORGIVENESS
Once, Sayyidunó Mā‘iz g committed adultery. He came to the Blessed
Prophet s and said, “O Blessed Prophet s, purify me.” The Blessed
Prophet s said, “Go ask for forgiveness and repent to Allah u.” He
walked a short distance, was overwhelmed with guilt, and returned to the
Blessed Prophet s and asked again to be purified. The Blessed Prophet s
replied as before.
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
8
In this manner, the Blessed Prophet s advised him to repent and beg
for forgiveness three times. On the fourth time, the Blessed Prophet s
ordered according to the rule of Shari‘a that he be stoned to death. After
his execution, two Companions l said, “Allah u hid his sins, but he
revealed them and died like a dog.” The Blessed Prophet s heard them
but remained silent. After a short while they saw the carcass of a donkey;
his stomach was bloated and his leg jutted upward. The Blessed Prophet s
called out, “Where is so and so person [calling the two men he had heard
previously]?” They said, “We are here.” The Blessed Prophet s pointing
towards the carcass said, “Eat from this carcass.”
“How can anyone eat from this?” they asked. The Blessed Prophet s
retorted, “Your backbiting of your brother is worse than eating from this
carcass. I swear by the One in whose hands is my life, he is swimming in
the rivers of Paradise at this moment.”
27
Likewise, once a woman from the Ghómidõ tribe came before the
Blessed Prophet s with the same request. She said, “O Blessed Prophet s,
please purify me.” The Blessed Prophet s told her to return, repent, and
beg for forgiveness from Allah u. She said, “O Blessed Prophet s, you
want to turn me back as you did Mó‘iz g, I swear by Allah u I am
pregnant by adultery.” The Blessed Prophet s responded, “You cannot
be stoned until you deliver the child.” When she delivered the child, she
returned to the Blessed Prophet s and said, “O Blessed Prophet s, I
have delivered the child, please purify me.” He said, “Breastfeed the child
until it is weaned.” After she weaned the child, she returned holding the
child in her hands. The child had a piece of bread in his hands. She
said, “The child is now eating bread.” The Blessed Prophet s ordered
she be stoned to death. Sayyidunó Khólid g was amongst the stoners.
When some blood spurted on his cheek, a curse came from his mouth.
The Blessed Prophet s chided him saying, “Do not say such things, her
repentance is such that if a tax collector made such repentance it would
have sufficed him.”
28
In a similar incident, Sayyidunó ‘Umar g said, “Are we to offer
her funeral prayer even though she was an adulterous?” The Blessed
Prophet s replied, “She has made such repentance that if distributed
amongst seventy men of Madina, it would suffice them all. What big-
ger repentance can there be than that she gave her life?”
29
9
Introduction
@
GREATNESS OF THE COMPANIONS l
In the books of hadith, one will find these kind of narrations in the chap-
ters of criminal law [úudñd]. Is anyone amongst us as pious and God-
fearing as the noble Companions l, who upon the commission of one
sin would became restless for retribution? Sayyidunó Abd Allóh ibn
Mas‘ñd g said, “When a believer [mu’min] commits a sin he feels as if
he is under a mountain and the mountain may fall upon him any minute.
When a profligate [fójir] commits a sin he makes light of it as if a fly came
to rest on his nose; he waves it off with his hand.”
30
Allah u is the Knower of the unseen. He is aware of the sins of man-
kind and of the remorse and guilt that is born from the perpetration of
these sins. This is precisely why He was pleased with the Companions l
despite their sins, mentioning it repeatedly in the Qur’an:
َيِضَر ٍ ناَسْحِ إِب ْمُهوُعَبّ تا َنيِذّلاَو ِ راَصْنلاَو َني ِ رِ جاَهُمْلا َنِم َنوُلّولا َنوُ قِباّسلاَو
اَهيِف َنيِدِلاَخ ُراَهْنلا اَهَتْحَت ي ِ رْجَت ٍتاّنَج ْمُهَل ّدَعَأَو ُهْنَع او ُ ضَرَو ْمُهْنَع ُهّ للا
ميِظَعْلا ُ زْوَفْلا َكِلَ ذ اًدَبَأ
As for the first and foremost of the Emigrants [Muhójirõn] and
the Helpers [ônüór] and those who follow them in goodness,
Allah u is pleased with them and they are pleased with Allah u,
and He has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow,
where they will live forever. That is the supreme achievement.
31
It says in Bayón al-Qur’an [with reference from al-Durr al-Manthñr]
regarding ‘and those who follow them in goodness’:
Ibn Zaid said, “This includes all the Muslims until the Day of
Judgment who follow the Blessed Prophet s with iúsón. This is
why criticizing the Companions l or the spiritual masters is use-
less because they repented and were forgiven by Allah u. Thus,
those who continue to criticize and chase after their faults [after
reading this aya] are a forsaken people.”
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
10
In various ayas of the Qur’an, Allah u mentions the repentance of
the Companions l, the promise of their entry into Paradise, etc. There-
fore, it is foolhardy to make the mistake of criticizing the Companions l
for their sins. But what is even more foolish is when we use their ex-
amples to justify our own sins because forgiveness of their sins is assured
while ours is not. Thus, those who use the sins of the Companions l
to justify their own sins are calling for their own destruction. Allah u
says in the Qur’an:
َهّر َ كَو ْم ُ كِبوُ لُ ق يِف ُهَنّي َ زَو َناَيلا ُم ُ كْيَلِإ َبّبَح َهّ للا ّنِكَلَو
َنوُدِشاّرلا ُمُه َكِئَلوُ أ َناَيْصِعْلاَو َ قوُسُ فْلاَو َرْ ف ُ كْلا ُم ُ كْيَلِإ
But Allah u has endeared to you the Faith, and made it beauti-
ful in your hearts, and made detestable to you the disbelief and
sins and disobedience. Such people are rightly guided, as a grace
from Allah u, and as a blessing. And Allah u is All-Knowing,
All-Wise.
32
In Bayón al-Qur’an, fusñq [sins] is translated as major sin and ‘ iüyón
[disobedience] as minor. This clearly proves that the Companions l were
forgiven for their major and minor sins. It also means that holding their
sins against them and using their example to justify our own sins is dan-
gerous to our faith.
Durring the campaign of the conquest of Makka, Sayyidunó ûóøib
ibn Abõ Balta‘a g quietly informed Quraish of the Blessed Prophet’s s
plan to attack Makka in a letter [that was later intercepted]. Sayyidunó
‘Umar g said to the Blessed Prophet s, “O Blessed Prophet s, give
me permission to behead him.” The Blessed Prophet s replied, “He is
amongst the Companions l of the Battle of Badr. What do you know,
maybe Allah u said to the Companions l of Badr, ‘You are forgiven, go
and do whatever you wish.’”
33
11
Introduction
@
BELIEF OF AHL AL-SUNNA ABOUT THE COMPANIONS l
Shaikh al-Islam Ibn Taimiyya writes in al-‘Aqõdat al-Wósiøiyya:
One of the fundamental rules of the Ahl al-Sunna wa al-Jamó‘a [Peo-
ple of the Prophetic Way and the Majority of Scholars] is that their
hearts and tongues are pure about the Companions l.
The Blessed Prophet s said, “Never criticize my
Companions l. I swear by He in whose hands is my life, any one
of you spending gold equal to Mount ‘Uúud in the path of Allah u,
will not equal one mudd [17 lbs] or even a half a mudd of gold they
spent in the path of Allah u.” The Ahl al-Sunna wa al-Jamó‘a
accepts whatever the Qur’an, Sunna, and consensus say about the
Companions l. Allah u said to the Companions l of Badr, “Go
do whatever you wish. I have forgiven you.” We accept this and be-
lieve that all the Companions l who took the bai‘a of ûudaibiya
will not enter into the Hellfire [as narrated in the aúódõth]. Allah u
is pleased with them and they are pleased with Allah u. Approxi-
mately fourteen hundred Companions l took bai‘a at ûudaibiya.
The Ahl al-Sunna wa al-Jamó‘a does not concern itself with the
internal conflicts [mushójarót] of the Companions l. As for the nar-
rations which accuse the Companions l of wrongdoing, many of
them are lies while others are fabrications. As for the mistakes men-
tioned in authentic narrations, the Companions l are excusable in
this regard. They are either correct or mistaken in their ijtihód. De-
spite this, the Ahl al-Sunna wa al-Jamó‘a does not believe they were
infallible [ma‘üñm]; as humans they were susceptible to sin.
Though they were susceptible to sin, their excellence in Dõn was
such that if they sinned, it would be forgiven, including the sins that
are not forgiven for later people. This is because they possessed such
virtue that erased their sins and which was not to be observed in the
people after them. And even if they committed a sin, they surely
repented for it or eliminated it through good deeds. Another reason
is that they were the pioneers of Islam [which is sufficient reason to
gain forgiveness] or that they have secured the intercession of the
Blessed Prophet s since they were most worthy of it. A third rea-
son is that persecution and poverty and many other such hardships
wiped out their sins.
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
12
All the above reasons relate to those sins about which it is
known that they committed. As for the mistakes in their ijtihód,
it is clear that if they were correct, they will earn two rewards,
and if they were mistaken, they will still gain one reward while
the mistake will be forgiven [as is true for all the mujtahids ca-
pable of independent juridical reasoning].
34
Thus, the objections
raised against them do not compare to their virtues and accom-
plishments, their noble attributes, their strong faith in Allah u
and his Blessed Prophet s, their struggle in the path of Allah u,
their migration, their unf linching support of the Blessed
Prophet s, their greatness of knowledge, and their righteous
deeds. Those who study the biographies of the Companions l
with clear insight and knowledge, recognizing the beautiful qual-
ities Allah u granted them, will know they hold the highest sta-
tion after the prophets of Allah u. There will be none like them
before or after them. They are the best of the chosen ones from
this community.
35
Shaikh al-Islam Ibn Taimiyya spoke the truth about the
Companions l. Allah u praises them repeatedly in the Qur’an
and many ayas were revealed that prove the forgiveness of the
Companions l for all their sins. Allah u says in the Qur’an:
َنوُد ِ جَي لَو ْمِ هْيَلِإ َرَجاَه ْنَم َنوّبِحُي ْمِ هِلْبَق ْنِم َناَيلاَو َراّدلا اوُءّوَبَت َنيِذّلاَو
ْمِ هِب َنا َ ك ْوَلَو ْمِ هِسُ فْنَأ ىَلَع َنوُرِثْؤُيَو اوُ توُ أ اّمِم ً ةَجاَح ْمِه ِ روُدُص يِف
َنوُحِل ْ فُمْلا ُمُه َكِئَلوُ أَف ِهِسْ فَن ّحُش َ قوُي ْنَمَو ٌ ةَصاَصَخ
[and fai’ (the spoils that are captured without war) is for those who
established themselves in the homeland (of Madina)] and in faith
before the former ones [who emigrated to Madina], who have love
for those who emigrated to them, and do not feel in their hearts
any ambition for what is given to the former ones [from fai’ ] and
give preference [to them] over themselves, even though they are in
poverty. And those who are saved from the greed of their hearts are
the successful.
36
13
Introduction
In another aya, He says:
اوُ لِتُ قَو اوُ لَتاَقَو يِليِبَس يِف او ُ ذوُ أَو ْمِه ِ راَيِد ْنِم اوُج ِ رْخُ أَو اوُرَجاَه َنيِذّلاَف
ُراَهْنلا اَهِتْحَت ْنِم ي ِ رْجَت ٍتاّنَج ْمُهّنَلِخْدلَو ْمِ هِتاَئّ ِيَس ْمُهْنَع ّنَرّ ِف َ كل
ِ باَوّ ثلا ُنْسُح ُهَدْنِع ُهّ للاَو ِهّ للا ِدْنِع ْنِم اًباَوَث
So, those who emigrated, and were expelled from their homes, and
were tortured in My way, and fought, and were killed, I shall
certainly write off their evil deeds, and shall certainly admit them
into gardens beneath which rivers flow, as a reward from Allah u.
It is Allah u with whom lies the beauty of the reward.
37
Many ayas similar to the one above inform about the forgiveness of the
Companions l for all their sins. In this aya, Allah u says, “I will surely
forgive them for all their sins,” but as the Urdu saying goes, ‘Mudda‘õ sust
gawó chust’ (the witness seeks justice while the plaintiff has withdrawn
his claim). The foolish ones amongst us still relish finding faults in the
Companions l, saying, “They were sinful, they were this and that...” and
other such statements.
@
CRITICIZING THE COMPANIONS l
The Blessed Prophet s said, “Allah u says, ‘I declare war on whoever
makes my friend [walõ] his enemy.’”
38
Moreover, the Blessed Prophet s said:
“Fear Allah u, fear Allah u, regarding my Companions l. Do
not make them the target of your objections. Whosoever loves my
Companions l, loves them because he loves me, and whosoever
hates them, hates them because he hates me. Whosoever hurts my
Companions l hurts me, and whosoever hurts me hurts Allah u,
and whosoever hurts Allah u, the time is near when he will be in
the clutch of Allah u.”
39
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14
Dhahabõ says:
Only those who have read the biographies of the Companions l
will know their lofty status; their progression in Dõn; their struggle
against the disbelievers [kuffór]; their propagation of the Dõn; their
declaration of Islam and raising the banner of Allah u and his
Blessed Prophet s; and their knowledge of the obligatory acts and
the Sunnas of the Blessed Prophet s within his lifetime and after
his demise. If they had not lived, the fundamental and ancillary
sciences would not have reached us. Without the Companions l
we would be ignorant of the obligatory acts and the Sunnas,
and we would have no knowledge of the aúódõth of the Blessed
Prophet s and the details of his life. Therefore, whosoever deni-
grates their status leaves the folds of Islam and is deviated from the
path of the Muslims. When one denigrates them, it is because of
the hatred he harbors in his heart and the grudge that is created
by his condemnation of the Companions l. This denigration is
a sign that he rejects the ayas which extoll their high status. It
is also a sign that he rejects the love the Blessed Prophet s had
for the Companions l and the the Blessed Prophet’s s praise
and mention of their lofty status in the aúódõth. Another reason a
denigrator leaves the folds of Islam is because the Companions l
are the most reliable and respected narrators of the narrations of
the Blessed Prophet s. Denigration of the narrator is necessar-
ily denigration of the one being narrated from. These words can
only be of benefit for the one who thinks, tries to understand,
and whose belief is not darkened by hypocrisy and heresy. Every-
thing the Blessed Prophet s said in praise of the Companions
in the aúódõth should suffice for anyone. For example, Anas g
narrates that some Companions l complained to the Blessed
Prophet s, “People speak ill about us,” to which the Blessed
Prophet s replied, “The curse of Allah u, his angels, and all of
mankind is upon he who speaks ill about my Companions l.”
40

In another place, Anas g narrates that the Blessed Prophet s said,
“Allah u chose me and chose the Companions l for me, and
made them friends, brothers, and relations to me. In the future, a
people will come who will criticize and denigrate them. Do not eat
or drink with them, do not marry them, do not pray with them,
and do not pray the funeral prayer upon them.”
41
15
Introduction
Dhahabõ narrates many other similar narrations in his book Kitób al-
Kabó’ ir and quotes many scholars as saying that those who blaspheme the
Companions l, find fault in them, publicize their sins, or attribute any
ignoble act or statement towards them is a hypocrite.
This brief book cannot cover all of which has been said about those
who criticize or publicize the mistakes and sins of the Companions l.
The narrations about the gardens of Fadak
42
never made me resent
the Companions l. I heard many objections, but always thought: “How
could the daughter of the Blessed Prophet s – who spent her life grind-
ing grain in a grinding mill and bruised her body carrying waterskins –
become a slave of the material world and boycott the caliph Sayyidunó
Abñ Bakr g for a petty thing of this material world?” My heart was
always pure about this issue and other such contentious issues that arose
amongst the Companions l; in my view it was simply a manifestation of
the strength of their faith.
How could an evil trait like greed take control of Sayyida Fāøima j,
Sayyidunó ‘Alõ g, and Sayyidunó ’Abbós g especially when their ser-
vants and servants’ servants were far from such ignoble traits? All the
wars that took place between the Companions l demonstrated the
strength of their Dõn, knowledge, and belief. Regarding the Fadak issue,
the disagreement between Sayyida Fāøima j and Sayyidunó Abñ Bakr
Siddique g was juridical which led the Companions l to disagree as
to whether there is inheritance in the Blessed Prophet’s s wealth or
not. Sayyidunó ‘Umar g and Sayyidunó Abñ Bakr g believed the ha-
dith, “We do not leave inheritance” was a general rule that applied to all
Muslims whereas Sayyidunó ‘Alõ g, Sayyida Fāøima j, and Sayyidunó
’Abbós g, believed it addressed a specific group of people. The matter
of Fadak was a typical example of disagreement in interpretation of the
hadith and knowledge of the Shari‘a. Sayyida Fāøima’s j refusal to speak
to Sayyidunó Abñ Bakr g regarding the issue of the gardens of Fadak
means that she never spoke to him again about these tracts of land. ûófiþ
ibn ûajar al-Asqalónõ mentions this point in Fatú al-Bórõ and narrates
many aúódõth in support of this view. This is also the opinion of many
respected commentators of hadith books. The opinion of this person [i.e.
the author] is that it was not love of wealth, but adherence to the Shari‘a
which brought Fóøima j to Sayyidunó Abñ Bakr Siddõque g, because
she believed she had a legal right over that wealth. This is why she was
angry and stopped talking to him. In my opinion, this was her firmness
in Dõn; it also explains why Sayyidunó ‘Alõ g and Sayyidunó Abbós g
both appealed their case in Sayyidunó ‘Umar’s g caliphate. They
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
16
hoped that he might decide in their favor though Sayyidunó ‘Umar g
agreed with Sayyidunó Abñ Bakr Siddõque g in this matter and upheld
his decision.
Many essential aspects of the Dõn of Allah u were being demon-
strated practically in the period of the first three caliphs. Once these is-
sues came to a close and the period of the first three caliphs ended, the
community needed to be instructed on another issue which was demon-
strated in the time of the last caliph, Sayyidunó ‘Alõ g. This was the issue
of ‘opposition to the caliph.’ To complete the Dõn, all these issues had
to be fully demonstrated within the period of the rightly-guided caliphs
[al-khulafa al-róshidūn]. This is why it never occurred to me that maybe
tribalism or love for wealth played some part in the internal conflicts of
the Companions l. If anything, it only proved the greatness and strength
of their õmón. They were firm on whatever they believed to be the truth
and fought to defend it when forced to. This is why I always looked upon a
person who interpreted the actions and statements of the Companions l
as human weakness with indifference, as would anyone who has studied
the books of hadith in some depth.
@
INTERNAL CONFLICTS OF THE COMPANIONS l
I wrote extensively on the internal conflicts of the Companions l in my
book, al-‘Itidól. The Battle of Jamal was a fierce war that took place be-
tween Sayyidunó ‘Alõ g and the Mother of the Believers, ‘Ā’isha j. Over
twenty-thousand men died in this battle. Before the war began and the
two armies pitched into battle, Sayyidunó ‘Alõ g walked to the front-
lines and called out for Sayyidunó Zubair g. When Sayyidunó Zubair g
stepped forward they both hugged and cried. Sayyidunó ‘Alõ g asked,
“What forces you to come here and oppose me?” Sayyidunó Zubair g
answered, “The blood of Sayyidunó ‘Uthmón g.” They both continued
their discussion for a short time.
This is the conduct of the commanders of two armies who were ready
to fight and kill each other. After this, they fought and Sayyidunó ‘Alõ g
was victorius capturing many prisoners. Many of Sayyidunó ‘Alõ’s g com-
panions insisted these prisoners be put to death, but Sayyidunó ‘Alõ g
refused and took bai‘a from them and forgave them. He allowed their
wealth to be taken as spoils of war, but refused to enslave them [as was the
custom of victorious armies]. Many soldiers objected: “If you are going to
17
Introduction
make their wealth spoils of war, then you should also enslave them.” At first
Sayyidunó ‘Alõ g remained quiet, but when they insisted, he said, “Tell me,
who amongst you is willing to take your mother, Sayyida ‘Ā’isha j, as your
slave?” They replied, “Never! We ask for Allah u’s forgiveness! We can’t do
that.” Sayyidunó ‘Alõ g said, “And I also ask Allah u for His forgiveness.”
Do we ever keep the respect of the one who opposes us? Do we even
respect those who oppose us in our personal issues as the Companions l
respected those who opposed them in times of war?
At the very end of this battle, Sayyida ‘Āisha’s j camel fell. Sayyidunó
‘Alõ g immediately announced, “Watch out and make sure the Mother
of the Believers is not hurt!” After this, Sayyidunó ‘Alõ g reached the
camel of the Mother of the Believers and said, “O mother, are you injured
or hurt? May Allah u forgive you for your mistake.” Sayyida ‘Ā’isha j
replied, “May Allah u forgive you as well.”
This was the conduct of the Companions l toward their opponents
and their respect for them. What would we do if our rivals came in our
hands? Would we spare them their lives, their wealth, or their honor?
The Battle of ýiffõn was the famous battle between Sayyidunó ‘Alõ g
and Sayyidunó Mu‘ówiya g. Many historians narrate that the two
armies fought throughout the day but once darkness fell the soldiers
of one army walked out to the other, and participated in their funeral
prayer and the burial of their dead.
43
And if one party was confused on
some rulings of the Shari‘a, they sent some of their men to learn the rul-
ings from the other side.
44
The emperor of the Byzantine Empire tried to exploit this division
within the Muslims. When Sayyidunó Mu‘ówiya g found out, he sent a
letter to the Byzantian emperor, “If you have made the decision to attack,
then I swear by Allah u I will make peace with ‘Alõ g, and I will be in
the front lines of the army that Sayyidunó ‘Alõ g dispatches against you.
We will destroy the city of Constantinople and uproot your government
like carrots and turnips.”
45
The story behind this is that the Byzantine Emperor wrote a letter
to Sayyidunó Mu‘ówiya g saying, “‘Alõ g is a thorn in your side, I will
dispatch an army to aid you.” In reply, Sayyidunó Mu‘ówiya g said, “O
Christian dog! You want to take advantage of our difference of opinion.
Remember, if you squint your eyes in the direction of ‘Alõ g, Mu‘ówiya g
will come as a soldier of ‘Alõ’s g army to gouge out your eyes.” Likewise, it
is narrated that Sayyidunó Mu‘ówiya g said, “I swear by Allah u, ‘Alõ g
is better and greater than me, and I only oppose him because of the
blood of Uthmón g. If he avenges the blood of ‘Uthmón g I will be the
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
18
first of the people of Shóm (Greater Syria) to take bai‘a on his hands.”
46

Once, during the rule of Sayyidunó Mu‘ówiya g, a man named Ibn
Khaibarõ caught his wife with another man. Unable to control himself,
he killed the adulterer. When the case came to Sayyidunó Mu‘ówiya g,
he did not know how to decide it. Due to the circumstances of the crime,
he was hesitant about executing the murderer. Sayyidunó Mu‘ówiya g
wrote to Sayyidunó Abñ Mñsó al-Ash‘ari g to ask the correct ruling on
this issue from Sayyidunó ‘Alõ g.
47
Could we ever admit our ignorance in front of our rivals? Would we be
able to inquire from them about something we did not know? The truth is
that we would not trust our rivals in any situation.
48
Many incidents of this kind occurred between Sayyidunó ‘Alõ g and
Sayyidunó Mu‘ówiya g which have been compiled by Shaikh Yñsuf
49
in
his book ûayót al-ýahóba. Once, ÷arór ibn ÷amura Kinānõ [a staunch
supporter of Sayyidunó ‘Alõ g] came to Sayyidunó Mu‘ówiya g after
Sayyidunó ‘Alõ’s g death. Sayyidunó Mu‘ówiya g said, “Describe ‘Alõ g
for me.” He asked, “O Leader of the Believers, will you excuse me from
this?” “I will not, you must describe him to me,” replied Sayyidunó
Mu‘ówiya g. Then ÷arór spoke:
If I must tell you then listen! Sayyidunó ‘Alõ g, I swear by
Allah u, was an exalted person and very strong. He was straight-
forward in whatever he said and ruled with justice. Knowledge
streamed from his every angle, and intelligence poured forth from
every part. The material world and its beauty and ornamentation
disquieted him. I swear by Allah u, he cried copiously and pon-
dered a lot. He would flip his palms while addressing himself. He
liked simple cloth and preferred coarse food. I swear by Allah u,
he lived amongst us as if he was one of us. When we visited him, he
would sit us near him and whatever we asked, he would answer. De-
spite his simplicity and mingling with us, we did not have the courage
to speak to him because of our reverence and awe of him. And when
he laughed, his teeth were like stringed pearls. He respected the pious
and loved the poor. Never did a strong and rich man hope to win in his
wrongdoing nor was a poor and weak man unhopeful of his fairness
and his ability to mete out justice to him. I am Allah u’s witness that
I saw him in the darkness of the night, in the niche [miúrób], clutch-
ing his beard, shaking as if he was bitten by a poisonous animal. He
was crying like a mourning person and his voice echoes in my mind
19
Introduction
to this day when he said and kept on repeating, ‘O my Lord, O my
Lord’ and humbled himself before Allah u. Then he addressed the
material world saying, ‘You want to deceive me and you beautify your-
self for me only. Get out of here, go and deceive someone else. Your
sittings are wretched and your hardships are easy. O my, O my! The
preparation for the Hereafter is little, the journey is long, and the path
is dangerous.’
By the time ÷arór finished, Sayyidunó Mu‘ówiya g was weeping. His
beard was soaked with tears and he repeatedly wiped them with his cuffs.
Other people in the gathering wept and sobbed. Sayyidunó Mu‘ówiya g
finally said, “You spoke the truth, Abū al-ûasan was as you described him,
may Allah u forgive him.” Then he asked, “÷arór! How much do you
mourn the death of ‘Alõ g?” ÷arór replied, “Like a mother whose only
child is slaughtered in her lap. Her crying cannot stop and her grief can
never diminish.” After this, ÷arór returned.
Iúsān is one of the foundations of the Dõn and therefore the Dõn can
never be complete without it. This is why the Blessed Prophet s said, “I
am the source of wisdom and ‘Alõ g is its door,”
50
meaning that Sayyid-
unó ‘Alõ g is the portal for all the different paths [lines of Taüawwuf ] of
Taüawwuf, Sulñk and wisdom. Therefore, those who say Taüawwuf is
taken from Hindu pundits and sadhus are truly ignorant of Dõn. Taüaw-
wuf began in the time of the Blessed Prophet s, and its continuation
in a specific form reaches us through Sayyidunó ‘Alõ g [as will be men-
tioned later]. This is a lengthy topic, but my health will not allow me to
explain it to the fullest.
@
SHORTCOMINGS IN OUR UNDERSTANDING
One should not deduce from all that has been said that an objection
never arose in my mind about a hadith. I had objections, but whenever
I could not find an answer I blamed it on my own lack of knowledge.
When my daughter was small and reading the Qó‘ ida Baghdódiyya [pri-
mary booklet for learning Arabic] she would connect the letters and
say, “Alif madda-ô, nñn fatú-nó: ôna. Bó alif fatú-bó nñn fatú-nó: Bóna,”
and likewise she went on tóna, thóna, etc. Her mother then taught her:
hamza madda-ô, nñn fatú-nó: ôna. My daughter jumped up and said,
“How could this be óna mother, it should be hamzóna.” Her mother
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
20
quickly turned the matter over to me saying, “When your father comes,
ask him.” And when I was tired of explaining to her, I said, “You do
not understand at this time, when you get older everything will be clear
to you.”
Likewise, when I had an objection regarding a hadith, I remembered
my answer to my daughter, “You do not understand at this time.”
@
ENDNOTES
1 Deoband is located three hours west of the capital of India, New Delhi.
2 The first date is Hijri and the second Gregorian.
3 Many of the descendants of ‘Umar g, Abñ Bakr g, ‘Uthmón g, and ‘Alõ g settled
down in the Du Āba area. Many of the elders of Deoband are descendants of these
noble families.
4 Qutb al-Dõn Aúmad Walõ Allóh ibn ‘Abd al-Raúīm Dehlawõ (1702-3/1762) revived
the science of aúódõth in the Indian Subcontinent at a time when philosophy and
logic were considered the acme of knowledge. Most Ahl al-ûadõth, Deobandõ, and
many Barelwõ schools trace their chain of transmission [sanad] back to him.
He was a master in the Islamic sciences and wrote on many of them including
the principles of exegesis [uüul al-tafsõr], the principles of hadith [uüul al-úadõth],
Arabic literature [al-adab al-‘arabõ], biographies of the narrators of hadith [asmó’
al-rijól ], the principles of Dõn [uüul al-Dõn], differences of the scholars [al-khilóf ],
the underlying meanings [‘ ilm al-asrór], political science [al-siyósat al-shar‘iyya] etc.
He was a revivalist [mujaddid] but many, noting his depth of thought and
knowledge, claim he was a mujtahid also. His book on Taüawwuf, al-Qaul al-Jamõl,
and on ijtihód and taqlõd, al-‘Iqd al-Jõd are quoted extensively by Shaikh Zakariyyó
in this book. [Saviours of the Islamic Spirit, Abū al-ûasan ‘Alõ Nadwī]
21
Introduction
5 Imdód Allāh (1817-1899) was from the family of ‘Umar ibn Khaøøób g. He was the
spiritual father of some of the greatest scholars whose names will appear repeatedly
in Shari’a and ùarīqa. His spiritual family continues to thrive to this day through
the traditional Deobandõ schools scattered throughout the world and his successors
[khulafó] who have worked in every field of Dõn from politics to commentaries of
hadith books and from traditional schools to the propagation of Islam. His greatest
contribution to Islam were his successors who dedicated their lives to Islam. The
most well-known are Shaikh Qósim Nónautwõ, Shaikh Rashõd Aúmad Gangohõ,
Shaikh ûaider ûasan Khón, Shaikh Ya‘qñb Nónautwõ, Shaikh Maúmñd al-ûasan
and Shaikh Ashraf ‘Alõ Thónwõ. Their greatest accomplishment was their moderation
in Shari’a and Taüawwuf and in giving each its rightful status in Islam. They were
strict adherents of the Sunnas and eliminators of innovations. They used Taüawwuf
to perfect their adherence to and propagation of the Shari’a and avoided the type
of excessiveness [ghuluww] in Taüawwuf that gave rise to innovations. One cannot
understand the depth of al-ûój Imdód Allah’s spirituality until one understands the
achievements of his successors. [See Ma’ārif al-Akābir, Ashraf ‘Alõ Thānwõ]
6 Rashõd Aúmad Gangohõ (1828/1905) was a descendant of Abñ Ayyñb Anüórõ g.
From childhood, he was a lover of the Sunnas, extremely pure-hearted and blessed
with the certainty of faith [yaqõn] that comes after years of spiritual exertions
[mujóhadót]. He says, “If the children were playing and it was time for Jumu‘a,
I would walk away from the game and say to the others, ‘I heard my uncle say:
Whoever misses Jumu‘a more than three times is a hypocrite.’” He had great acumen
and was extremely bright. As classmates, he and Shaikh Qósim [see below] read off
the classical texts of al-Shams al-Bózigha, Mõr Zóhid, and Qóðõ like a memorizer
of Qur’an reciting the Qur’an. If he and Shaikh Qósim ever disagreed and debated
on any scholarly issue, the whole school [both students and teachers] would gather
to be entertained by their incredible argumentations. Shaikh Mamlñk Alõ would
say, “Rashõd Aúmad’s argument is stronger but Qósim escapes defeat because of
his intellect.”
He made bai’a with al-ûój Imdód Allóh and gained successorship [khilófa] after
seven days.
As a leading member of the rebellion against the British, he was arrested and
imprisoned after the mutiny of 1857. Though he was later freed, he was placed under
house arrest for a long time after. He also received a death warrant but was saved by
the will of Allah.
His lessons on the six famous aúódõth books attracted students from all over
the country. Though Shaikh Gangohõ is not officially recognized as the founding
father of Deoband, he was most certainly the think tank which lent the school its
distinctive outlook, uncompromising adherence to the Shari’a and moderation in
Taüawwuf.
Below are three anecdotes of his taqwó:
When a surgeon explained that he would not feel any discomfort from surgery
[he had cataracts in both eyes] except that he would have to avoid prostration in a few
üalót, he replied, “I can’t imagine missing prostration of even one üalót.”
He once asked his spiritual student, Shaikh Yaúyó Kóndhelwõ [father of Shaikh
Zakariyyó], “Yaúyó, has so-and-so forgotten us [this person was vindictive of Shaikh
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
22
Gangohõ and frequently published articles against the Shaikh]?” Shaikh Yaúyó
replied, “ûaðrat, he uses profane language against you and I cannot bear to bring
such hate-filled words to my lips.” He replied, “No, read to me whatever he writes
[about me], if he has indeed found a fault, I will rectify it.”
After one of the conventions in Deoband, the Shaikh was thronged by people
and could not make it in time for the opening takbõr. After üalót, he was extremely
sad and distressed. Someone asked, “Is everything okay, Shaikh?” He replied, “I
missed the opening takbõr of üalót after twenty-seven years.”
His four main successors were Shaikh Abd al-Raúõm Raipurõ, Shaikh Khalõl
Aúmad Sahóranpñrõ, Shaikh ýiddõq Aúmad Ambhetwõ, and Shaikh al-Hind,
Maúmñd al-ûasan [who also gained successorship from al-ûój Imdód Allóh]. [See
Tadhkirat al-Rashīd, ‘Āshiq Ilāhī Mīratī]
7 Qósim Nónautwõ (1832/1880) was a descendant of Abñ Bakr g and was born in
Nónauta, a village in [Du Āba] U.P, India. He gained his basic education and
memorized Qur’an in Nónauta, traveled to Delhi to study the Islamic sciences
under Shaikh Mamlñk Alõ, and finally completed his study of hadith under
the known hadith scholar, Shóh ‘Abd al-Ghanõ. He founded the well-known
traditional Islamic school of Deoband with the purpose of rekindling the Islamic
spirit which the British sought to destroy through their education system. As
a visionary, his sole objective through Deoband and other such schools was to
protect Muslims and Islam against western inf luence. He was a successor [khalõfa]
of al-ûój Imdód Allóh and was thus one of the first fruits in the family tree of
al-ûój Imdód Allóh. His propensity for the science of Islamic doctrine [‘ ilm al-
kalóm] and debate led him to write great philosophical works like Taúdhõr al-Nós
and Ajwiba Arba’õn. He narrowly escaped arrest and execution by the British after
the mutiny of 1857. It is known that he hid for three days from the British and
suddenly appeared on the fourth day. People begged him to hide but he remarked,
“I only wished to fulfill the Sunna of the Blessed Prophet r [the Blessed Prophet s
hid in the cave of Thaur for three days].” [See Sawāniú Qāsmī, Manāþir
Aúsan Gilānī]
8 Muúammad Ismó’īl Jhanjhāhnwõ (-1898) was from the family of Abñ Bakr g and
was Sheikh Zakariyyó’s paternal grandfather. He descended from one of the noblest
families in the Du Āba area, known for its taqwó, struggles in the path of Allah,
and a myriad of brilliant scholars who spread the knowledge of Dõn, uprooted the
innovations, and devoted their lives to the cause of Islam. He was amongst those
whose every supplication is accepted [mustajób al-da‘wót]. Shaikh Zakariyyó
narrated one of his incidents in chapter eight. He had three sons: the eldest, Shaikh
Muúammad, then Shaikh Yaúyó [father of Shaikh Zakariyyó], and his youngest son
Shaikh Ilyós, founder of the Tablighõ Jamó‘a. [See Sõrat Shaikh al-ûadīth Maulānā
Muúammad Zakariyyó, Abū al-ûasan ‘Alõ Nadwī]
9 Khalõl Aúmad Sahóranpñrõ (1852/1927) was a descendant of Abñ Ayyñb Anüórõ g.
He was a successor of Shaikh Gangohõ and also the spiritual mentor of Shaikh
Zakariyyó. He is the author of Badhl al-Majhñd, the eighteen-volume commentary
of Abñ Dówñd. He made three supplications to Allah:
 To complete Badhl al-Majhñd before his death
23
Introduction
 To see a time of peace in ûijóz [Makka and Madina] and a time when
it is governed by the Shari‘a [as occurred in the beginning of the Sa‘ñd
goverment]
 To be buried by to the Blessed Prophet s
By the grace of Allah, all his supplications were accepted.
Two of his greatest successors were Shaikh Zakariyyó, his father Shaikh Yaúyā
and Shaikh Ilyós Dehlawõ. [See Tadhkirat al-Khalīl, Sayyid Muúammud Thānī]
10 Mahmñd al-ûasan Deobandõ (1851-1920) was the first student and teacher of Dór
al-‘Ulñm Deoband. After completion of his studies, he spent much of his time
serving Sheikh Qasim Nónautwõ. On the advice of Sheikh Qasim Nónautwõ,
al-Hój Imdód Allóh accepted Shaikh al-Hind in his bai’a, and then granted him
successorship immediately after. In Deoband, he taught Tirmidhõ, Mishkót al-
Maüóbõú, and Hidóya.
Shaikh al-Hind became known primarily for his struggle to liberate the Indian
subcontinent from the British. He was eventually caught and arrested in ûijóz,
betrayed by the Hashimite governor of Makka and sent to Malta [where the British
confined high-profile prisoners]. He was freed after three years and two months of
confinement in Malta and died two years later in 1920. Moments before he passed
away he pronounced the name of Allah loudly seven times, then turned toward his
right in fulfillment of the Sunna and breathed his last. Raúima Allóh Raúmatan
Wósi‘a. [See ûayāt Shaikh al-Hind, Sayyid Aüghar ûussain]
11 Shóh Abd al-Raúõm Raipurõ (1853/1919) was one of the highest-ranking successors of
Shaikh Gangohõ. He studied the Islamic sciences in Maþóhir al-‘Ulñm Sahóranpñr
under some of the greatest scholars of his time [e.g., Shaikh Aúmad ûasan Kónpurõ
[successor of Al-ûój Imdód Allóh] and Shaikh Aúmad ‘Alõ Saharónpñrõ, student of
the greatest hadith master, Shóh Isúóq Dehlawõ].
He was a master in Taüawwuf and loved recitation of Qur’an. He established
centers for learning recitation of Qur’an [for children and adults] throughout his
region and spent his night and days reciting Qur’an in the blessed month of Ramadan.
Due to his devotion to Qur’an in Ramadan, visitors [thousands flocked to his sanctum
in the month of Ramadan] were not allowed to meet him in the holy month.
He was known for his clairvoyances. Shaikh Thónwõ would say, “I have
no problem sitting with Shaikh al-Hind, Mahmñd al-ûasan and Shaikh Khalīl
Aúmad, but I can’t sit in the gatherings of Shāh ‘Abd Raúõm; who knows what is
disclosed to him.”
Shaikh ‘Abd al-Qódir [see foonote fourteen] was his main successor.
12 Ashraf ‘Alõ Thónwõ (1863/1943) was a descendant of ‘Umar ibn al-Khaøøób g. His
mentor, al-ûój Imdód Allóh, would say, “Ashraf ‘Alõ is my tongue; he articulates
whatever descends in my heart.” His disciplinary style of training seekers in
adherence to the Shari‘a and mentoring them in the path of Taüawwuf earned him
the title ‘ûakõm al-Umma’ [Reformer of the Umma]. Tarbiyat al-Sólik was a brilliant
collection of his inspired treatments to the conditions of his spiritual students. This
book demonstrated his uncanny ability to solve the spiritual problems of the seekers
and prescribe treatments accordingly. Once, Sheikh Sahóranpñrõ asked, “Whenever
I go to Bahówalpñr, the nawabs present me with monetary gifts. I don’t know if I can
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
24
accept them as I feel a preinclination [ishróf ] toward it.” Shaikh Thónwõ replied, “In
a theoretical situation, if they had not presented you with anything and you became
upset by it, then it is a sign of preinclination [ishróf ], otherwise it is a whisper from
Satan [waswasa].”
Sheikh Thónwõ’s greatest contribution was reformation of the true Taüawwuf
as inherited from the pious predecessors. Through his lectures [over sixty volumes]
and writings, he systematically cleared away misunderstandings about Taüawwuf,
uprooted the innovations, and clarified the essence and objectives of Taüawwuf.
Over one thousand works are attributed to Sheikh Thónwõ. Under his auspices,
his nephew authored the monumental eighteen-volume work on ûanafī Fiqh, ‘Iló
al-Sunan. Other famous books authored under his name include: Bahishtõ Zewar
[Heavenly Ornaments], on fiqh; Bayón al-Qur’an, an exegesis of the Qur’an; and
Bawódir al-Nawódir, a treatise covering juridical and contemporary issues. Shaikh
Zakariyyó has drawn extensively from two of his books, al-Tasharruf and al-
Takashshuf, in the chapters on Taüawwuf. [See Ashraf al-Sawāniú, Khawāja ‘Azīz
al-ûasan and also ûakīm al-Umma, ‘Abdal-Mājid Daryābādī]
13 Faðl al-Raúmón Ganj Muródabódõ (1793-1885) studied hadith under the two greatest
hadith masters of his time, Shóh Isúóq Dehlawõ and Shó ‘Abd al-‘Azõz Dehlawõ. His
passionate love [‘ ishq] for Allah and his Blessed Prophet s was felt by people who sat
in his company. It is said that after meeting him once, people became enamored of
him and could not take their eyes off of him. Due to his passionate love, he frequently
came under the spells of his spiritual conditions. Once, someone recited the aya,
‘And he [Ismó‘õl e] was favorite to his Lord’ [19:55]. He swooned and remained sick
for two months after. Once he recited the aya, ‘Qul in Kuntum Tuúibbūna Allāh’ and
ordered, “Translate this aya.” But before anyone could speak, he himself translated,
“Walk our [the Blessed Prophet’s s] walk, then Allah will start loving you.” Sombody
once asked him, “How did you reach such a lofty position?” He replied, “From strict
adherence to the way of the Blessed Prophet s.” He was known for his clairvoyances,
moving poetry, and profound sayings.
People came from afar to sit in his hadith sessions and take permission to
transmit aúódõth from his blessed chain. [See Tadhkira Haúrat Maulana Faðl al-
Raúmón Ganj Muródabódõ, Abū al-ûasan ‘Alõ Nadwī]
14 Shóh ‘Abd al-‘Azõz Dehlawõ (1746-1824) was the eldest son of Shóh Walõ Allóh
Dehlawõ. All the chains of hadith from narrators in the Indian subcontinent ascend
through him to his father, Shóh Walõ Allóh. He was talented in every field. He was a
jurist, hadith master, and exegesist and was also outstanding in verse and prose and
was a talented archer, horseman, and calligrapher. In Taüawwuf, he was a successor
of his father and combined all the beautiful qualities of fortitude, kindness, humility,
and love, etc. in his character. The Shiites made two attempts to poison and kill him
after he wrote, Tuúfa Ithnó’ ‘Ashariyya, a comprehensive treatise on Shi‘ism. It is said
that his funeral prayer was prayed fifty-five times.
15 A compilation of the sayings and anecdotes of the elders of Deoband, annotated by
Shaikh Ashraf ‘Alõ Thónwõ.
16 A hadith textbook compiled by Shaikh Walõ al-Dõn al-Khaøõb al-‘Umrõ al-Tabrezõ
[circa 1340], taught in most traditional Islamic schools.
25
Introduction
17 Sayyid ûussain Aúmad Madanõ (1879-1957) was a descendant of ûussain g. He
studied the Islamic sciences from both Shaikh al-Hind, Maúmñd al-ûasan and
Shaikh Khalõl Aúmad Sahóranpñrõ in Deoband but was unable to complete his
studies as his father decided to migrate to Madina. After completing his studies in
Madina, he began to teach in the Sacred Precinct [al-ûaram] and quickly became
famous as the Shaikh of the Prophetic Precinct. Though, he made bai’a with
Shaikh Gangohõ, Shaikh Gangohõ advised him [since he was migrating] to take
his dhikr from al-ûój Imdód Allóh. After some time, he received a letter from
Shaikh Gangohõ to come to Gangoh. A few months later he received successorship
from Shaikh Gangohõ. He later settled down in the subcontinent [though his
family had emigrated to Madina] and explained why. He said, “There is more
work of Dõn to be done in the subcontinent than in ûijóz [Makka and Madina].”
He inherited the spirit of political struggle against the British from his teacher,
Shaikh al-Hind, and spent a greater part of his life in politics. As a result, his life
became an extraordinary example of determination, forbearance, and sacrifice. He
spent as much time in jail as he did at home. In Ramadan, thousands of people
came to stay in his company in retreat [i‘tikóf ]. Most of his life was spent against
the British in jail or in conventions and in teaching hadith. Despite his busy life, he
still found time to teach Bukhārī and other hadith books in Deoband. [See Sawāniú
Shaikh al-Islām, Najm al-Dõn Iülāúī]
18 Shóh ‘Abd al-Qódir Raipñrõ (1878-1962) studied the Islamic sciences from the student
of Shaikh Gangohõ, Shaikh Muúammad Rafõq. One who reads his biography [see
Haðrat Maulóna‘Abd al-Qódir Raipñrõ], is reminded of Imam Ghazólõ’s spiritual
odyssey and the yearning that made him restless for spiritual peace. It was Imam
Ghazólõ’s book al-Munqadh min al-ïalól that led him in search for a shaikh. He
finally came to the sanctum of Shaikh ‘Abd al-Róhõm Raipñrõ and served him for
fourteen years until his shaikh passed away. His spiritual exertions were reminiscent
of the Sufis of the past. In the winter season, when it was biting cold and he could
not afford a blanket, he would spend the whole night warming himself by chanting
the dhikr of Allah u loudly.
He had a magnetic personality and was known for two amazing qualities:
his broad-mindedness and his openheartedness. People came to him from every
end: scholars, professionals, intellectuals, laymen, military, the rich and the poor,
and the weak and the powerful. Two of his greatest successors were Shaikh Abñ
al-ûasan ‘Alõ Nadwõ and Shaikh Manþñr Nau‘mónõ [author of Iranian Revolution
and founder of al-Furqón Magazine]. [ See Haðrat Maulānā ‘Abd al-Qódir Raipūrī,
Abū al-ûasan ‘Alõ Nadwī]
19 Ilyós Dehlawõ (1886-1944) was Sheikh Zakariyyó’s paternal uncle. As a child, Shaikh
Ilyós spent much of his time studying the Islamic sciences in Gangoh under the
supervision of his older brother Shaikh Yaúyó and in the spiritual company of
Shaikh Gangohõ with whom he had taken bai’a. When Shaikh Yaúyó passed away
the next year, he moved to Niþóm al-Dõn, a small village on the outskirts of New
Delhi [India]. When the unlettered people of Mewót passed through to find jobs in
the city, he promised to pay them under the condition that they spent the day with
him. He then taught them the basics of Dõn and spent whatever he had on them to
the point where he and his family many times spent their nights in hunger.
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
26
When Shaikh Gangohõ passed away he made bai’a with Shaikh Sahóranpñrõ
from whom he also gained successorship. He prayed voluntary prayers [nawófil ]
between Maghrib and ‘Ishó’ from childhood and never missed the Chishtiyya dhikr
of the ‘twelve tasbīú’ [see chapter thirteen] throughout his life. He said, “How can I
ever quit ‘twelve tasbīú’ when I achieved iúsón through its blessings.” Shaikh al-Hind,
Maúmñd al-ûasan said of him, “Shaikh Ilyós reminds me of the Companions l of
the Blessed Prophet s.”
Once, he decided to settle down in Madina. When he went to visit the grave
of the Blessed Prophet s, he was told to return to India and that Allah wished to
take some work of Dõn from him. He spent many days anxious, thinking about
how he would do the work of Dõn. He thought to himself, ‘I cannot talk [he had
a stutter], I am not a writer, and am weak and often remain sick.’ Finally, Shaikh
Sa‘õd Aúmad [older brother of Shaikh ûussain Aúmad Madanõ] advised him, “You
weren’t told to go start the work of Dõn but that the work of Dõn will be taken from
you. Why do you worry, the One who has promised will take it Himself.” This was
the beginning of the tablõgh work. The work of tablīgh, as we see it today, is the
fruit of his sincerity, sacrifice, and struggles. [See Sawāniú Muúammud Yūsuf, Sayyid
Muúammud Thānī]
20 Bukhórõ, Su’ól Jibra’õl al-Nabiyy
21 Bukhórõ, al-Adhón Ba‘d Dhahób al-Waqt
22 Muwaøøa’, al-‘Amal fi al-Sahw
23 25:70
24 Muslim, Adnó Ahl al-Jannat Manzilatan
25 Shamó’il, Mó Jó’ fõ ïiúk
26 Tafsīr al-Ālūsī, 14/145 | Ibn Abī ûātim, Surat al-Furqān 10/369
27 Abu Dówñd, Rajm Mó‘idh ibn Mólik
28 Muslim, Man I‘tarafa ‘aló Nafsihõ bi al-Zinó
29 Ibid
30 Miskhót al-Maüóbõú, al-Istighfór wa al-Tauba
31 9:100
32 49:7
33 Bukhórõ, al-Jósñs
34 Bukhórõ, Ajr al-ûókim idhó Ijtahada
35 al-‘Aqõdat al-Wósiøiyya, p. 142
36 59:8-9
37 3:195
38 Bukhórõ, al-Tawóðu‘
39 Tirmidhõ, fõ Man Sabba Aüúób al-Nabiyy
27
40 al-Mu‘jim al-Ausaø, Man Ismuhū Aúmad
41 Kanz al-‘Ummól, al-Bób al-Thólith fõ Dhikr al-ýaúóba wa Faðlihim
42 Fadak—A plot of land the Blessed Prophet s owned in Khaibar which Sayyida
Fāøima j laid claim to in the caliphate of Sayyiduna Abñ Bakr Siddique g.
43 al-Bidóya wa al-Nihóya 7/227
44 Tórõkh al-Khulafó’
45 Tój al-‘Urñs 7/208
46 al-Bidóya wa al-Nihóya 7/129
47 Muwaøøa’, al-Qaðó’ fõ Man Wajada ma‘a Imra’tihõ Rajulan
48 al-I‘tidól, p. 230
49 Yūsuf Kāndhelwī (1917-1965) was the son of Shaikh Ilyās Kandhelwī, founder of the
Tablighī Jamā‘a. He continued where his father left off and through him, the work
of tablīgh became a global presence.
He headed the movement for twenty-one years. He spoke for two hours every
day after Fajr from the day he became head of the movement to the day he died.
Then, throughout the day, he held sessions for the workers, dispatched groups
across the country, and managed the affairs of a worldwide movement which had
become, by the grace of Allah, one of the most effective tools for the propagation and
preservation of Islam since the last few centuries.
His book, ûayót al-ýahóba [three volumes], is originally in Arabic and has been
translated into English and Urdu and is widely read throughout the Muslim world.
[See Sawāniú Muúammud Yūsuf, Sayyid Muúammud Thānī]
50 Tirmidhõ, Manóqib ‘Ali ibn Abõ ùólib
Introduction
29
_
Chapter One
The Holy Qur’an
@
FULFILLING THE PROPRIETIES OF THE QUR’AN
Sayyidunó ‘Abd Allóh ibn Mas‘ud g said, “If you seek knowledge then
ponder into the meanings of the Qur’an.” The Qur’an is a trove of sacred
knowledge and guidance for all times, but to acquire this knowledge one
must fulfill the necessary conditions and proprieties of the Qur’an. Unfor-
tunately, we live in an era where once a person learns a bit of the Arabic lan-
guage and memorizes the translation of the Qur’an, he thinks he has the right
to make his own opinions regarding the Qur’an. The Blessed Prophet s
said, “Whosoever explains the Qur’an from his own opinion is wrong even
if he is right.”
1
Modernists generally ignore the opinions and exegesis of the pious
predecessors [al-salaf al-üóliúñn] issuing fatwas that are based on their own
whims. In our time, the modernist desires to embody all the greatest at-
tributes in every field. If he can write simple Arabic, articulate himself in
his native language, or deliver impromptu speeches, he sees himself the
teacher of Junaid and Shiblõ in Taüawwuf and also a mujtahid in fiqh
(Islamic jurisprudence). He introduces new ideas in the exegesis of the
Qur’an without concern for the opinions of the pious predecessors or that
his opinions contradict the aúódõth of the Blessed Prophet s.
He is whimsical in matters of Dõn. He states his heart’s desire no mat-
ter how much it contradicts the Qur’an and the Sunna. Despite this, no
one discredits him, protests his incompetence, or shows him his deviation.
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
30
If one gathers the courage to say, “This is against the teachings of the
pious predecessors,” he is immediately branded a sycophant of the pious
predecessors. He is condemned as ultra-orthodox, anti-intellectual, and
someone not attuned to the modern world. Conversely, if a person rejects
the explanations of the pious predecessors and lays out his own views on
matters of Dõn he is looked upon as an authority [muúaqqiq] in the Dõn.
@
FIFTEEN SCIENCES OF THE QUR’AN
This is despite the fact that the exegetists [mufassirñn] listed fifteen sci-
ences that must be mastered before one can authoritatively interpret the
Qur’an. These are:
1 Classical Arabic is how one learns the meaning of each word.
Mujóhid said, “It is not permissible for one who holds faith
in Allah u and the Day of Judgment to speak on the Qur’an
without learning classical Arabic.” In this respect, it should be
known that classical Arabic must be mastered in its entirety
because one word may have various meanings. A person may
only know two or three meanings to one word whereas the
meaning of that same word in the Qur’an may be altogether
different.
2 The Science of Arabic Syntax [‘Ilm al-Naúw] is important be-
cause any change in the diacritical marks affects the meaning,
and understanding the diacritical marks depends on the sci-
ence of Arabic Syntax.
3 The Science of Arabic Morphology [‘Ilm al-ýarf ] is impor-
tant because changes in the conjugations of nouns and verbs
change the meaning. Ibn Fóris said, “A person who misses out
on Arabic morphology has missed out on a lot.” Zamakhsharõ
writes in ‘Ujñbót al-Tafsõr that,
One man recited the aya:
ْمِ هِماَمِ إِب ٍ ساَن ُ أ ّ ل ُ ك وُعْدَن َمْوَي
[Think of ] the day when We will call every people with their
books of deeds.
2
The Holy Qur’an
31
Because of his ignorance of Arabic morphology, he mistrans-
lated the aya as:
[Think of ] the day when We will call every people by their
mothers.
He thought the word imóm, which is singular, was the plu-
ral of umm [mother]. Had he known morphology he would
know that imóm is not the plural of umm.
4 The Science of Arabic Etymology [‘Ilm al-Ishtiqóq] should be
learned because sometimes one word derives from two root
words, the meaning of each root word being different. This
science explains the reciprocal relation and radical composi-
tion between the root and derived word. For example, masú
derives from the root word masaú which means ‘to feel and
touch something with a wet hand,’ but also derives from the
root word masõúa which means ‘to measure.’
5 Arabic Semantics [‘Ilm al-Ma‘ónõ] is the science which teaches
about phrase construction and its implications on meaning.
6 The Science of Expression [‘Ilm al-Bayón] is the science by
which one learns the similes, metaphors, metonymies, evi-
dent [þuhur] and hidden meanings [khafõ] of the Arabic
language.
7 The Science of Rhetoric [‘Ilm al-Badõ‘ ] is the science
through which one learns to interpret sentences which re-
veal the beauty and eloquence of the spoken and written
word. The above mentioned three sciences are categorized
as the Science of Eloquence [‘Ilm al-Balógha]. It is one of the
most indispensable tools for the exegete because he is able
to reveal the miraculous nature of the Qur’an through these
three sciences.
8 The Science of Arabic Pronunciation [‘Ilm al-Qiró’a] is im-
portant because one reading [qiró’a] of the Qur’an may differ
in meaning from another, and one learns to favor one reading
over another based on the difference in the meanings.
9 The Science of Islamic Doctrine [‘Ilm al-‘Aqóid] is important
because we cannot attribute the literal meaning of certain
ayas to Allah u. In this case, one will be required to interpret
the aya, as in the aya, ‘Allah u’s hand is over their hand.’
3
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
32
10 The Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence [Uüñl al-Fiqh] are
important so one understands the methodology of legal deri-
vation and interpretation.
11 The Science of Circumstances of Revelation [Asbób al-
Nuzñl ] is the field by which one learns the circumstances
in which an aya is revealed. It is an important science be-
cause the meaning of the aya is more clearly understood
once the circumstances in which it was revealed is known.
Sometimes, the meaning of an aya is wholly dependent on
its historical background.
12 The Science of Abrogated and Abrogating Ayas [‘Ilm al-Naskh]
is important because abrogated rulings must be differentiated
from the applied rulings.
13 Islamic Jurisprudence is important because one cannot gain
an overview of any issue until he has understood its particulars.
14 The Science of Aúódõth [‘Ilm al-ûadith] is important because
the aúódõth explain general [mujmal ] ayas.
15 The Endowed Knowledge [al-‘Ilm al-Ladunõ] which Allah u
grants to his closest servants. They are the servants indicated
in the hadith: “Allah u will grant one who acts upon what-
ever he knows from a knowledge he never knew.”
4
@
FOUNDATIONS OF THE SHARI’A
The authorities on the principles of fiqh [uüñliyyñn] write that to follow the
Shari‘a, one must have knowledge of the four foundations upon which the
Shari‘a rests. They are:
1 Qur’an
2 Aúódõth
3 [Scholarly] Consensus [Ijmó‘ ]
4 Analogical Deduction [Qiyós] by which one derives rulings
from the above three.
The Holy Qur’an
33
@
CONDITIONS FOR ACTING IN ACCORDANCE
WITH THE QUR’AN
Then, to act in accordance with the Qur’an one must know four things:
i The words of the Qur’an [naþm al-Qur’ān], their conjugations
and root words. They are of four types:
1 The general [‘ómm]
2 The specific [khóü]
3 The homonym [mushtarak]
4 The interpreted meaning [mu’awwal ]
ii The methodology Allah u uses to present his message in the
Qur’an [wujñh-al-bayón]. This is also of four types:
1 The manifest [þóhir]
2 The second type of manifest [naüü]
3 The unequivocal [mufassar]
4 The transparent [muúkam]
iii Then, these four types are contrasted with four other types:
1 The obscure [khafõ]
2 The difficult [mushkil ]
3 The ambivalent [mujmal ]
4 The intricate [mutashóbih]
iv Knowledge of the application of the words of the Qur’an
[naþm al-Qur’ān]. This is also of four types:
1 The literal [úaqõqõ]
2 The metaphorical [majóz]
3 The plain [üarõú]
4 The allusive [kinóya]
v Then, methodology of understanding the meanings of the
Qur’an. This is also of four types:
1 The explicit meaning [‘ ibórat al-naüü]
2 The allusive meaning [ishórat al-naüü]
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
34
3 The inferred meaning [dalólat al-naüü]
4 The required meaning [iqtiða’ al-naüü]
5
After all of this, there is one more category that encompasses all
the above. This category is also of four types:
1 Sources of Derivation [ma’ khadh al-ishtiqóq] is knowl-
edge of the sources from which the derivation is made.
2 Knowledge of the terminological concepts of the sources
of derivation.
3 Knowledge of the sequence of the sources of derivation.
4 Knowledge of the rulings derived from the sources of
derivation.
@
CONCLUSION
It is important to know when an order [amr] indicates obligation, permis-
sibility, desirability, and when it is merely for repetition. In the Qur’an, an
order may require immediate fulfillment of the order [adó] or sometimes
belated fulfillment [qaðó] while at other times vice versa. Furthermore, an
order can be general or restricted. A restricted order is of four types. One
will find the details of this in the books on the subject of the principles of
Islamic Jurisprudence [uüñl al-fiqh].
6
Mu‘ódh ibn Jabal g said in a hadith of Abñ Dówñd:
After you, the times of tribulation [fitan] will appear; there will be
an abundance of wealth and the Qur’an will be opened by everyone:
a believer, hypocrite, a man, a woman, old and young, slaves and
freemen will all read it. Then one amongst them will say, ‘Why don’t
people follow me though I am learned in the Qur’an? They will not
follow me until I bring something new.’ Mu‘ódh g then said, ‘Save
yourself from the innovations [bid‘a] because every innovation will
be a deviation.’
7
According to the above mentioned hadith, those who make grandiose
claims about spreading the message of the Qur’an around the world are
deviant people. Translating the Qur’an for the blessing of translation is
The Holy Qur’an
35
good. However, to derive rulings without sound knowledge of the differ-
ent sciences [as quoted above] is forbidden. Rulings can only be derived
when one gains complete knowledge of those sciences which are necessary
for deriving rulings from the Qur’an. In al-Durr al-Manthñr, it is narrated
from Ibn ‘Abbās g that he said of the aya:
ُءاَشَي ْنَم َ ةَم ْ كِحْلا يِتْؤُي
He gives wisdom to whom He wills.
8
This is reference to knowledge of the Qur’an, knowledge of abrogat-
ing and abrogated ayas, transparent [muúkam] and intricate [mutas-
hóbih] ayas, the chronology of each aya, what is forbidden and what
is permissible and knowledge of other matters of the same kind.
@
ENDNOTES
1 Abñ Dówñd, al-Kalóm fõ Kitób Allóh
2 17:71
3 10:48
4 Kanz al-‘Ummól, al-Bób al-Awwal fi al-Targhõb fi al-ûilm
5 Please see appendix I for a more detailed explanation of fiqh terminology.
6 Nūr al-Anwār
7 Abñ Dówñd, Luzñm al-Sunna
8 2:269
36
_
Chapter Two
Hadith
@
TYPES OF HADITH
The authorities in the science of Islamic Law state that the same sciences
of knowledge necessary for the Qur’an [as previously mentioned] are
necessary for the aúódõth. As for the presumptive [þannõ] aúódõth,
1
they
require some additional sciences.
ûófiþ ibn ûajar al-‘Asqalónõ writes in his book on the principles of
hadith [uüñl al-úadõth], Nukhbat al-Fikr:
A mass-transmitted report [mutawótir] is a hadith narrated by such
a large multitude of people that one cannot imagine that they con-
spired to forge it, and in which the number of narrators throughout
the times was numerous. This type of hadith conveys sure knowl-
edge and is equivalent to an aya of the Qur’an.
A well-known report [mashhñr] is a hadith in which the number
of narrators dwindled at some point [in the chain of transmission]
and did not remain numerous.
A rare report [‘azõz] is a hadith in which the number of narrators
at some point in the chain of transmission is only two people.
A solitary report [gharõb] is a hadith in which the number of
narrators throughout the chain of transmission is only one person.
37
Hadith
The last two types of hadith [‘azõz and gharõb] are categorized
as a singular chain of transmission [khabr wóúid] some of which are
accepted while others rejected. The rejection or acceptance of a sin-
gular chain of transmission is based on a complete background check
of each narrator. There are many types of solitary hadith [gharõb].
The solitariness may be in the beginning or end of the chain of trans-
mission. The singular transmission is authentic if the narrator of the
transmission is trustworthy in his memorization of the hadith. The
transmission of the hadith must be continuous [it does not break
anywhere through a missing narrator] and is not a hadith with a
hidden defect [mu‘allal ] or a single authentic hadith which opposes a
greater number of authentic aúódõth [shódh]. The level of authentic-
ity of the hadith varies depending on the level of opposition [shud-
hñdh] or hidden weakness [‘ illa] found in the hadith.
The highest level of authenticity in a hadith is sound in itself
[üaúõú li dhótihõ], then sound through corroboration [üaúõú li ghair-
ihõ], then thoroughly reliable in itself [úasan li dhótihõ] and finally,
reliable through corroboration [úasan li ghairihõ]. Another aspect in
the science of hadith is whether the hadith is munkar or m‘arñf. If
the hadith is stronger than the hadith it contradicts because of the
strength of its number in the chain or the integrity of its narrators, it
is a preserved hadith [maúfñþ]. Then we must check if it is supported
by corroborative hadith from the same Companion g with different
chains of transmission [matóbi‘ ] or supportive aúódõth from differ-
ent Companions l [shāhid] or not. The definition of these different
types of aúódõth should be known to measure the veracity of the ha-
dith. If a contradiction between two aúódõth can be reconciled they
are reconcilable aúódõth [mukhtalif al-úadõth]. If the contradiction
cannot be lifted but we know the chronology of the two hadith, then
the first of the two aúódõth will be the abrogated hadith [mansñkh]
and the second the abrogating hadith [nósikh]. If the chronology is
unknown, we will favor one hadith over the other using the prin-
ciples of preference [tarjõú].
ûazimī writes in his book Kitab al-I‘tibór that there are fifty prin-
ciples of preference by which we ascertain which hadith is more accept-
able. Suyuøõ in Tadrõb al-Rówõ writes that other scholars have mentioned
more than a hundred tools of preference. Later, we will read a detailed
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
38
essay by Ibn Taimiyya in which he outlines ten reasons for rejecting a
hadith. He then says:
These reasons are apparent, though some aúódõth are of the type that
a prodigious scholar will see reason for us to not follow them without
revealing the reason. This is because the plains of knowledge are
vast and we cannot understand everything that was in the minds of
these scholars. At times he presents his proof while at other times he
may not. Even when he does present his proof, many times we hear
his proof while at other times we do not. Even if his proof reaches
us, sometimes we understand his proof and sometimes we do not.
2
ûófiþ ibn ûajar al-‘Asqalónõ said, “We will not adopt any opinion if
there is no reason to favor one hadith over the other.” Sometimes a nar-
ration is rejected because of a missing link between two narrators and
sometimes because of questionable character in a narrator. A narration
is incompletely transmitted [mursal ] if the missing narrator is in the era
of the Companions l. It is a suspended hadith [mu‘allaq] if the missing
narrator appears from the other end of the chain [e.g., teacher of Imam
Bukhórõ, Ibn Mója]. The hadith is discontinuous [munqati‘ ] if the missing
narrator is in the middle of the chain. If two or more than two narrators
are missing, the hadith is straitened [mu‘aððal ]. If the missing link is evi-
dent, it is plainly discontinuous [munqati‘ ]; however, if it is hidden, it is
disguised [mudallas].
@
THE TRUE SCHOLARSHIP OF HADITH
Then there are ten reasons a narrator is declared unreliable. In order to use
the aúódõth as evidence, it is important to understand the principles of ha-
dith criticism. We mentioned a few types of aúódõth as examples. Besides
these, ûófiþ ibn ûajar al-‘Asqalónõ mentioned:
– A Reversed Hadith [Maqlñb]
– A Disrupted Hadith [Muðtarib]
– A Dot-Distorted Hadith [Muüaúúaf ]
– A Vowel-Distorted Hadith [Muúarraf ]
– Attribution of a Narration to the Blessed Prophet s [Marfñ‘ ]
39
– Attribution of a Narration to a Companion g [Mauqñf ]
– Attribution of a Narration to a First Successor [Maqøñ‘ ]
– An Authoritative Transmission [Musnad]
– An Absolute High-ranking Transmission [al-‘Aluww al-Muølaq]
– A Relatively High-ranking Transmission [al-‘Aluww al-Nasabõ]
Then, within the last two types of hadith [the absolute and relative
authoritative hadith] one must be learned in discussions on:
– The Equal Transmission [al-Musówót]
– The Handshake Transmission [Muüófaúa]
– A Descending Transmission [Nuzñl ]
– A Contemporary Transmission [Aqrón]
– The Reciprocal Transmission [Mudabbaj]
– Transmission of the Elders from the Juniors
[Riwóyat al-Akóbir ‘an al-Aüóghir]
– The Preceder and the Follower Transmission
[Al-Sóbiq wa al-Lóúiq]
– The Faithful Transmission [Musalsal ]
– The Unified Transmission [Muttafiq]
– The Differential Transmission [Muftariq]
– The Concordant Transmission [Mu’talif ]
– The Discordant Transmission [Mukhtalif ]
– The Resembling Transmission [Mutashóbih]
3
One cannot become a hadith master and deduce juridical rulings sim-
ply by reading the translations of hadith books. As for the aforementioned
discussions, ûófiþ ibn ûajar al-‘Asqalónõ himself writes that the principles
of aúódõth cannot be condensed and that one must study the encyclopedic
works [muøawwalót] on this subject to gain a complete understanding of
this science. Merely reading the translation of a hadith or reading a book
on the the virtues of aúódõth is surely not enough. Becoming a master of
hadith is a most arduous task.
Likewise, reading the translation of the Qur’an does not give insight into
the Qur’an until one learns all the necessary sciences related to the Qur’an.
Otherwise, there is a large chance of making grave mistakes in the Qur’an.
One deviant was of the habit that whenever he returned from the call of nature
Hadith
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
40
he performed ablution [wuðñ] and prayed three units [raka‘ ] of üalót [witr].
Someone asked him, “What do you pray?” He said, “It says in the hadith:
ْرِتْوُيْلَ ف َرَمْجَ تْسا ِ نَم
‘Whosoever attends the call of nature, should pray the three unit üalót.’
4
However, the meaning of this hadith is that whenever one attends the
call of nature one should use an odd number [witr] of clods to purify him-
self. The mistake he made was to translate the word ‘ fa al-yūtir’ as ‘witr.’
Likewise, one man would not allow the water from his well to be
channeled into the fields of another because the Blessed Prophet s said
in the hadith:
ِه ِ رْي َ غ َعْر َ ز ُهَءاَم ْمُ كُدَحَ ا ىِقْسَي َ لَو
‘Your water should not feed the fields of another.’
5
However, the meaning of this hadith is that when a woman, for ex-
ample a slavegirl, is pregnant by one man and he sells her to another, the
new owner should not have intercourse with her. The word ‘mó’’ refers to
semen and ‘zar‘a’ to the woman’s private parts. Ibn Jauzõ narrates many
more such examples in his book, Talbõs al-Iblõs.
A hadith in Abñ Dówñd narrates that someone asked ‘Imrón ibn
ûusain g, “You narrate many aúódõth that have no mention in the
Qur’an?” He became angry and said, “Have you ever read anywhere that
you must pay one dirham for every forty dirham in zakót, you must give
this and that many goats when you own such and such number of goats in
zakót, and this and that many camels if you own such and such number
of camels in the Qur’an?” The man replied, “No.” ‘Imrón g said, “Then,
where did you get these rulings from? You learned them from us and we
learned them from the Blessed Prophet s.”
6
Likewise he mentioned many other specific rulings on various issues
besides zakót that are not mentioned in the Qur’an. This indicates that in
order to understand the Qur’an, it is necessary to know the aúódõth. And
to know both the Qur’an and aúódõth it is necessary to learn all the differ-
ent sciences and fields of knowledge mentioned above.
41
@
IMAM BUKHôRö’S QUARTET
I would like to conclude this chapter with Imam Bukhórī’s quartet better
known as the Rubó‘ yiót al-Bukhārī, which has already been mentioned
in the introduction [muqaddama] of Aujaz al-Masólik and in my other
book, Ikhtilóf al-A’ imma. It is reproduced here both from Ikhtilóf al-
A’ imma and Aujaz:
The hadith masters established the strictest rules for one who wishes to
busy himself, gain insight into, and speak or write on the subject of the sci-
ence of hadith. They also established rules to aid the student in his study
of the aúódõth. Their rules and restrictions are more demanding of the
teacher and the hadith master. Though this chapter has drawn on quite
a while, it is an opportune time to relate the interesting story of Imam
Bukhórī. It is a story which shows us the hardships the pious predeces-
sors expected one to overcome in order to gain knowledge of aúódõth. He
himself was a person who struggled hard in this path as a student and who
achieved the status of a hadith master in this field.
Muúammad ibn Aúmad says, “When Walõd ibn Ibróhõm was dis-
missed from his position as the judge [qóðõ] of Rai [now a suburb of Teh-
ran], he moved to Bukhóró. My teacher, Abñ Ibróhõm Khattalõ, took me to
meet him. When we met him we requested that he narrate all the aúódõth
he had heard from our spiritual mentors and elders. Walõd said, ‘I did not
hear any narrations or any aúódõth.’ My teacher was shocked. He asked,
‘You are such a great jurist [faqõh] and you say such a thing?’ Walõd then
told his story; he said, ‘When I reached adulthood and was eager to study
the science of hadith I came to Imam Bukhórī and explained my situation
to him. He advised me and said, ‘Listen, my son. Whenever you begin a
subject you first learn its prerequisites. Make the intention to learn the
subject once you have understood its prerequisites and objectives. Now
listen! A man cannot be an accomplished scholar of hadith until he writes
four things with four thing like four things with four things as four things
in four time periods in four situations in four places on four things to four
types of people for four reasons; and these quartets cannot be gained but
with four things which must be with four other things. When all these
are attained, then four things become easy upon him and he is put into
hardship by four things. And when he is patient with these four things,
Allah u honors him with four things in the material world and four
things in the Hereafter.’
Hadith
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
42
I said to him, ‘May Allah u have mercy upon you. Please explain
these quartets for me.’ He said, “Of course, listen! The four things which
one must write are:
1 The beautiful aúódõth of the Blessed Prophet s and his
rulings
2 The sayings of the Companions g and the status of each
Companion g
3 The sayings of the First Successors, their caliber and who
amongst them was reliable or unreliable
4 Knowledge of all the narrators who narrated aúódõth and
their background
The history of the narrators must include four things:
1 Their biographies [asmó al-rijól ]
2 Their agnomens [kunya]
3 Where they settled and lived
4 Their date of birth and date of death [to verify whether the
narrator met the people whom he claimed to narrate from]
These four things are as necessary as four things with four things:
1 Sermon [khuøba] with praise and exaltation of Allah u [úamd
and thanó]
2 To send blessings and salutations [salāt and salām] with the
names of prophets
3 Bism Allóh with a sura
4 The opening takbõr of üalót [al-takbõr al-taúrõma] with üalót
And like four things:
1 The aúódõth with an unbroken transmission to the Blessed
Prophet s [musnad]
2 The aúódõth transmitted by one of the First Successors to the
Companions l from the Blessed Prophet s with the name
of the Companion g omitted [mursal ]
3 Sayings of the Companions l [Mauqñf ]
4 Sayings of the First Successors [Maqøñ‘ ]
43
These are four different branches in the science of hadith which can
only be attained in four different periods:
1 Childhood
2 Near adulthood
3 After adulthood
4 Before old age
And the means of attaining these four branches in different situa-
tions is:
1 In preoccupation
2 In free time
3 In poverty
4 In affluence
In essence, a person should be incessantly preoccupied with the attain-
ment of these four branches, in four places:
1 In the mountains
2 In the rivers
3 In the cities
4 In the rural areas and jungles
In essence, a person should travel wherever a teacher [mu‘allim] of ha-
dith may be to learn the hadith from him on four things:
1 On the rocks
2 On oysters
3 On leather
4 On bones
In essence, he should learn from him on anything until he obtains
paper and gets the opportunity to write on it. He should write on whatever
is available to preserve the essence of knowledge. And he must learn this
from four types of people:
1 One who is older than him
2 Younger than him
Hadith
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
44
3 Equal to him
4 From the books of his father with the condition that he un-
derstands his father’s writing style
In essence, he should learn from whoever he can. He should not hesi-
tate, thinking it beneath him, to learn from his equal or someone younger
than him. He should do all this with four intentions:
1 For the pleasure of Allah u [It is obligatory upon the servant
to keep his Master happy]
2 Acting upon all the knowledge that is in accordance with
the Qur’an
3 To transfer knowledge to students and earnest knowledge
seekers
4 To keep the torch of guidance alight after putting it into writing
And all of these things cannot be gained but with four things:
1 His efforts and toil
2 The art of penmanship and writing
3 Linguistics, by which he learns meanings and concepts of words
4 Arabic morphology and syntax by which one can discern the
correctness of words and sentences
All of these four things are dependent on four things which are other-
wise unattainable except by the mercy and gift of Allah u:
1 Health
2 Ability
3 Eagerness for knowledge
4 Sharp memory
And when all these are attained, four things become contemptible to
him [due to his thirst for knowledge]:
1 Wife
2 Children
3 Wealth
4 Home
45
And then this person is tested by four things:
1 Enemies who rejoice at his misfortune
2 Criticism of his friends
3 Contempt of the ignorant
4 Jealousy of the scholars
And when a person is patient with these four things Allah u grants
him four things in the material world and four things in the Hereafter.
The four things of the material world are:
1 Respect and contentment [qanó‘ ]
2 Dignity and the ability to inspire with certitude [yaqõn]
3 Sweetness of knowledge
4 A long life
The four things of the Hereafter are:
1 Intercession on behalf of whomever he wishes
2 Shade under the throne of Allah u on the day when there
will be no other shade
3 Ability to give water from the basin [hauð] of Kauthar to
whomever he wishes
4 Proximity to the prophet of Allah u in the highest abode in
Paradise [A‘ ló al-‘Illiyyõn]
This is all, my son. I have summed up for you everything I heard in
different gatherings from my elders. Now it is your choice whether you
wish to busy yourself in the knowledge of aúódõth or not.”
Hadith
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
46
@
ENDNOTES
1 A presumptive hadith is a hadith which is not mass-transmitted [mutawótir] or well-
known [mashhñr] and only has one narrator per link in its chain of transmission. It is
called presumptive because [though it may be an authentic hadith] it does not create
certainty of knowledge like mass-transmitted and well-known aúódõth.
2 Raf ‘ al-Malóm, ûófiþ Ibn Taimiyya
3 Please see appendix II for a more detailed explanation of the hadith terminology
4 Ibn Mója, al-Irtiyód li al-Góiø wa al-Baul
5 Abñ Dówñd, fõ Waø’ al-Sabóyó
6 Abñ Dówñd, mó Tajibu fi al-Zakó
47
_
Chapter Three
Fiqh
@
WHAT IS FIQH?
The most recognized definition of fiqh amongst the jurists is:
Fiqh is knowledge of derivative rulings taken from in-depth evidenc-
es of the Qur’an and Sunna. Imam Abñ ûanõfa said, ‘Fiqh is knowl-
edge [ma‘rifa] of the self and that which is beneficial and harmful to
it.’ This a broad definition which includes everything from beliefs
to all deeds related to the esoteric [spiritual] and exoteric [physical].
Succeeding scholars brought all the branches related to matters of
belief under the umbrella of the Science of Doctrine [‘Ilm al-Kalóm], the
branches related to spiritual rectification under the Science of Morals
[‘Ilm al-Akhlóq] or Taüawwuf, and the branches related to exoteric deeds
under fiqh.
In the introduction of Kanz al-Daqó’ iq,
1
Shaikh I‘zóz ‘Alõ narrates
from Hówõ Quddñsõ that fiqh linguistically means ‘tafaqquh’ or ‘to be
aware of.’ In the Shari‘a, it refers to a special type of awareness that is
distinct from the understanding gained from the meaning of the text [i.e.,
the Qur’an and Sunna] and its intimations, sense, and requirements. In
another place, he writes that tafaqquh is a quality, an aptitude by which
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
48
one can discern the correct evidences from the Qur’an and the Sunna and
by which one can sense what is intellectually more sound.
The sources of fiqh are: the Qur’an, the authentic Sunna, [scholarly]
consensus, and analogical deduction, which have already been cited from
Nūr al-Anwór. Therefore, all the sciences and fields of knowledge required
for understanding the Qur’an and Sunna are also required for the under-
standing of fiqh.
Shaikh Ashraf ‘Alõ Thānwī writes in his book al-Takashshuf, “Shari‘a
is the name of the complete and comprehensive collection of practical rul-
ings.” This definition is inclusive of all deeds, both esoteric and exoteric.
The term fiqh was used in this sense amongst the earlier scholars [mutaqa-
ddimñn]. For example, Imam Abñ ûanõfa defined fiqh as:
اَهيَ لَع اَمَو اَهَل اَم ِ سْ فّنلا ُ ةَ فِ رْعم
“Fiqh is knowledge of the self and that which is beneficial
and harmful to it.”
Then, fiqh became known amongst the later scholars [mut’akhkhirñn]
as knowledge of the exoteric deeds while Taüawwuf knowledge of
the esoteric deeds.
2
Shaikh Thānwī makes this same point in Imdód
al-Fatówó.
‘Abd al-Wahhób al-Sha‘rónõ wrote a book called al-Mõzón al-Kubrā.
I enjoyed this book and read it repeatedly during my last years of study
and the beginning of my teaching years. The main idea behind his
book is that there is no disagreement between the mujtahids. Whatever
is seen as disagreement is due to the difference in the times in which
they lived.
For example, Imam Abñ ûanõfa negated raising the hands [rafa‘ al-
yadain] because of the condition of the Muslims in his time while Imam
Shófi‘õ necessitated it according to his time. Imam Abñ ûanõfa lived in
the golden era and the meaning of raising the hands was “throwing the
material world away behind one’s back.” In his time, üalót was prayed
with perfect concentration and once it began, the material world was
removed for good. In the time of Imam Shófi‘õ, who was born the year
Imam Abñ ûanõfa passed away, the material world made its way back in
the üalót. This is why he ruled that the hands should be raised repeatedly
during the üalót to thow back the material world. Also, Imam Shófi‘õ’s
view was that touching the private part broke the ablution. This ruling
49
applied to the saintly scholars while the more liberal ruling, that it did
not, was applicable to the general public. However, the ûanafõs exercise
caution in this regard and say that if the private part is touched then
ablution should be performed to distance oneself from any disagreement
between the four imams.
3
@
ENDNOTES
1 A textbook on ûanafõ fiqh
2 al-Takashshuf, p 184
3 al-Mõzón al-Kubró, p 130
Fiqh
50
_
Chapter Four
Ijtihād
@
DEFINITION OF IJTIHôD
On the question of ijtihód, Mufti Shafõ‘ writes in Jawóhir al-Fiqh that
the pious predecessors estabished a criterion for the mujtahid who is to
be followed. Shāh Walõ Allóh Dehlawõ wrote in ‘Iqd al-Jõd, that the most
precise definition of ijtihód understood from the scholars is, “to work
arduously to yield derivative knowledge from specific sources.” These
specific sources are:
Qur’an
Sunna
[Scholarly] Consensus
Analogical Deduction
@
CONDITIONS FOR BEING A MUJTAHID
One of the conditions for one practicing ijtihód is that he should be well-
versed in those areas of the Qur’an and Sunna from which rulings are
derived. He should also be well-versed in the areas of [scholarly] consensus;
the conditions for the correct use of analogical deduction; a broad and
51
deep knowledge of Arabic linguisticsl; and the abrogated and abrogating
ayas. He should also be learned in the biographies of the narrators. In ijti-
hód, knowledge of the science of Islamic doctrine and conventional fiqh
is not necessary. The conditions of ijtihód are covered in the books on the
principles of Islamic Jurisprudence. At this point, there is no harm in nar-
rating the conditions Baghawõ laid out for ijtihód. He said:
“A mujtahid is a scholar who is proficient in five fields of knowledge:
– Knowledge of the Qur’anic ayas
– Knowledge of the aúódõth of the Blessed Prophet s
– Knowledge of the sayings of the pious predecessors; i.e., to
know which rulings they disagreed upon and upon which
they were unanimous
– Knowledge of Arabic linguistics
– Knowledge of analogical deduction, the knowledge by
which one learns the method of deriving a ruling from the
Qur’an and Sunna. In that case, a ruling should not be ex-
plicit in the Qur’an and Sunna or [scholarly] consensus. If
there is no derivation required due to the explicitness of the
ruling in the Qur’an and Sunna, then such a person [who
lays out an explicit ruling] is not by definition a mujtahid.
Now, it is important for us to know how much of each of these fields
of knowledge a mujtahid should have mastered. As for the Qur’an, he is
required to know all that has already been mentioned in the chapter on
the Qur’an and also the abrogated and abrogating ayas. And in the hadith
he should know the sciences necessary for knowledge of hadith and also
the ability to distinguish between authentic and weak hadith. It is also
incumbent upon him to be fully versed in Arabic linguistics. This means
that he should have an almost perfect knowledge of the words used in the
ayas and aúódõth on the commandments [aúkóm]. However, he need not
necessarily have memorized and learned the whole vocabulary of classical
Arabic. It is best that he busy himself in learning the language as much
as is necessary for him to become familiar with the meaning and message
of classical Arabic discourse. This is because the medium of the Shari‘a
is Arabic; therefore, the one who is uninformed in Arabic will not under-
stand the underlying meanings of the sayings of the Blessed Prophet s.
Ijtihād
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
52
He should also have learned the sayings of the Companions l and
First Successors regarding the commandments of Dõn. He should also
have knowledge of the fatwas of the jurists in order to avoid deriving rul-
ings that contradict their opinions and the decisions upon which there
is consensus of the community. If and when a person is learned in these
five fields of knowledge he will be considered a mujtahid, though it is
not expected of him to have covered the infinitesimal aspects of each of
these fields. However, if he is lacking in any one of them, he must follow
someone else.”
Ibn Qudóma ûanbalõ writes in al-Mughnõ:
1
“There are six conditions for being a mujtahid.
– Mastering knowledge of the Qur’an
– Mastering knowledge of the aúódõth
– Mastering knowledge of the [scholarly] consensus
– Mastering knowledge of analogical deduction
– Mastering knowledge of the differences of opinion
– Mastering knowledge of classical Arabic linguistics
For the Qur’an he must know two things; the general [‘ómm] and
the specific [khóüü] [previously mentioned in the chapter on acting on the
Qur’an]. In the aúódõth, it is not necessary for him to know every hadith,
as in the aúódõth on Paradise and the Hellfire, but to know those aúódõth
which pertain to the commandments of Dõn. All the sciences necessary
for the Qur’an are also required for aúódõth. Besides this, there are dif-
ferent types of aúódõth, such as the singularly transmitted aúódõth [aúód].
They must also know the rulings upon which the scholars unanimously
agreed and upon which they disagreed. In analogical deduction, they must
know its conditions and the different methods of derivation amongst other
things. They should also be acquainted with Arabic linguistics in as much
as is related to the aforementioned fields.”
ûófiþ Ibn Qayyim writes in I‘ lóm al-Muwaqqi‘õn
2
:
Khaøõb quoted Imam Shófi‘õ in his book al-Faqī wa al-Mutafaqqih,
as saying that it is not permissible for anyone to give fatwa on any
matter of Dõn except if he is a scholar of the Book of Allah u;
is learned in abrogating and abrogated ayas; the unequivocal ayas
53
[muúkam]; the ambiguous ayas [mutashóbih]; interpretation [ta’wõl ];
background of the revelation; the ayas revealed in Makka and in
Madina; and has insight into the underlying meaning of the ayas.
Further, he should be learned in the aúódõth, in the abrogating and
abrogated aúódõth, and all the different sciences required for the
Qur’an. Then he should also be skilled in Arabic linguistics and po-
etry and an expert in all the fields that are requisite for a complete
understanding of the Qur’an and Sunna. After all this, he should
also be acquainted with the sayings of the scholars. All these fields
should become second nature to him due to his proficiency in them.
After this, he may give fatwa; otherwise it is forbidden. Sóliú ibn Aú-
mad says: I said to my father [Imam Aúmad ibn ûanbal], ‘What do
you think of a person who when asked a fatwa, issues it according to
the hadith but without any knowledge of fiqh?’ He replied, ‘It is ab-
solutely necessary for one who sits in the place of fatwa to know the
ways of the Qur’an, to be impeccable in his knowledge of the aúódõth
and to be a scholar of authentic chains of transmission.’ Then, Imam
Aúmad ibn ûanbal quoted everything Imam Shófi‘õ mentioned pre-
viously. Once someone asked ‘Abd Allóh ibn Mubórak, ‘When is it
permissible for someone to give fatwa?’ He replied, ‘When he carries
profound insight in his opinion and in the aúódõth.’
ûófiþ Ibn Qayyim says, “By opinion, he is referring to true analogical
deduction, the underlying meanings and principles upon which the whole
foundation of the sayings of the Blessed Prophet s is based. This makes
the rulings of the Dõn effective.”
3
Shāh Walõ Allah u Dehlawõ writes in ‘Iqd al-Jõd:
Whoever is erudite in the greater part of these branches of knowledge
is a mujtahid.
Rafi‘õ, Nawawõ and numerous other scholars say that there are two
types of mujtahids: independent [mustaqill ] and affiliated [muntasib]. It
is evident from their writings that an independent mujtahid is greatest in
three things:
1 He derives the principles upon which his madhhab stands.
2 He studies, researches, and engrosses himself in the verses and
aúódõth of the Blessed Prophet s to find proof for issues that
Ijtihād
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
54
confront him. He favors one proof over the other when they
contradict each other. He also expounds on the references
from which he derived his rulings.
3 He confronts new issues which have not yet been discussed
and presents them in light of evidence [from the Qur’an and
Sunna].
An affiliated mujtahid is one who is a follower of his teacher in the
principles and who takes help from him in seeking evidence on rulings.
He knows the rulings in light of their evidence and is fully capable of
deriving rulings from the evidence. Whoever is below these two is a
mujtahid in the madhhab [mujtahid fi al-madhhab]. He is a follower of
his imam in any ruling attributed to the imam, but is also fully aware
of the principles his imam used to derive the rulings. If he cannot find a
ruling on an issue from his imam, he exercises ijtihād using his teacher’s
principles and, in general, derives rulings based on the framework of
these principles.
The last level is the muftõ who is infused with the knowledge of his
madhhab and has the competence to prefer one opinion over the other [in
one ruling within a madhhab].
@
TYPES OF MUJTAHIDS
Ibn ‘ôbidõn in his booklet, Sharú‘òqūd Rasm al-Muftõ, explains the seven
types of mujtahids:
Mujtahid in the Shari‘a [Mujtahid fi al-Shar‘ ]: These are the four
imams who devised the principles and derived rulings from the
four main sources without following anyone in fundamental or
derivative rulings.
Mujtahid in a madhhab [Mujtahid fi al-madhhab]: As in Imam
Abñ Yñsuf and Imam Muúammad ibn ûasan Shaibónī and all
the students of Imam Abñ ûanõfa who derived rulings using the
principles which he derived from the main sources. Although they
disagreed in some derivative rulings with Imam Abñ ûanõfa, they
are his followers in the principles. The difference between the mu-
jtahid in madhhab and parallel scholars [mu‘óriðõn fi al-madhhab]
55
like Imam Shófi‘õ is that the mujtahid in madhhab are Imam Abñ
ûanõfa’s followers in the principles while [other mujtahids like]
Imam Shófi‘õ are not.
Mujtahid in rulings [Mujtahid fi al-Masó’ il ]: They practice ijtihād
in the rulings in which there is no known opinion of Imam Abñ
ûanõfa. This category includes scholars like Khaüüóf, ùaúówõ,
Shams al-A’imma ûalwónõ, Shams al-Sarakhsõ, Fakhr al-Islam
Bazdawõ, and Qóðõ Khón, etc. This group of scholars follows
Imam Abñ ûanõfa in his principles and his derivative rulings, but
derives rulings based on his principles on issues in which there is
no known opinion or ruling by Imam Abñ ûanõfa.
The Deducers [Aüúób al-Takhrõj]: As in Abñ Bakr Rózõ, etc. They
are capable of correctly interpreting a general ruling which carries
the possibility of two different interpretations.
The Preponderers [Aüúób al-Tarjõú]: As in Qudñrõ and Marghīnānī,
etc. They are best at putting different opinions of one ruling in
their respective places. For example, they may categorize an opin-
ion as correct, the most virtuous, or that which is ‘easiest upon the
people’ based on their situations.
The Followers [Muqallidñn]: They can examine and discern the
strongest or the weakest of opinions of Imam Abñ ûanõfa on one
issue. They also can distinguish which of the opinions in one rul-
ing is the most reliable [þóhir al-riwóya] and which is the most
estranged [nódir].
This category consists of the second type of followers [who put
their trust in the opinion of others without asking for proof ] who
do not possess any of the capabilities of the aforementioned cat-
egories. They cannot even differentiate between the more and less
reliable opinion or the preferred or rejected opinion.
@
TOOLS OF IJTIHôD
Shaikh I‘zóz Alõ said of the different aspects of ijtihód, “The technical defi-
nition of ijtihód is to exert one’s effort by the order of the Shari‘a to deduce
an opinion.” Then he mentions the various conditions of ijtihód which we
have already covered. After this, he says:
Ijtihād
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
56
These are the tools of the mujtahid. Whoever claims to practice ijti-
hód but does not possess these tools is like a person who claims he
can reach the skies without any stairs. After this, it is important that
this individual exerts himself in these fields of knowledge and pon-
ders deeply on the evidence from wherein he is capable of deriving
rulings. Once he is capable of deriving rulings, it is important he
devises principles by which he derives rulings from the evidence, like
the principles of Imam Shófi‘õ and the other imams. It is precisely
these principles which stop people from understanding the essence
of ijtihód, because one does not obtain the skill of ijtihód by merely
gaining proficiency in the different fields of knowledge. It is most
important to understand that ijtihód is inherent and that one devises
the principles upon which he will derive the rulings. Therefore, one
cannot claim to be a mujtahid if he is deficient in any field of knowl-
edge or that he is proficient in all the necessary fields of knowledge
but does not possess the ability of ijtihód, or that he possesses the ca-
bility of ijtihód but does not devise the principles by which to derive
rulings from the evidence.
@
CLAIM TO IJTIHôD
Despite his greatness, when Suyuøõ claimed to be a mujtahid the
scholars of his time broke ranks with him and challenged him to a
debate. He refused and withdrew his claim soon after.
Ibn ûajar Makkõ writes:
The contemporary scholars condemned Suyuøõ and pre-
pared a set of juridical cases, each of them containing two
opposing opinions of the pious predecessors. This was to
determine whether he possessed the lowest level of ijtihód.
If he truly was a mujtahid, he would be able to select the
more preferred of the two opinions by deriving from the evi-
dences using the principles of the four great imams. Suyñøõ
returned the paper unanswered saying he did not have time
to answer the questions.
Then, Ibn ûajar Makkõ comments, “Think of the burden one must
bear as a mujtahid, and this was only the lowest level of ijtihód. This
shows that whosoever lays claim to even the lowest level of ijtihód, let
57
alone independent ijtihód [ijtihód muølaq]
4
, is a vain person, mired
in self-deception, and his arms and legs are flailing about in the
darkness.”
Whosoever understands the greatness of the position of independent
ijtihód will be ashamed to attribute this to anyone in this time. In fact,
Ibn ýalóú and his followers say the doors of independent ijtihód have been
closed for three hundred years.
5
Ibn ýalóú quotes some scholars of the
principles of Dõn as saying that there is no mujtahid after Imam Shófi‘õ.
He adds that the scholars disagree as to whether Imam al-ûaramain al-
Juwainõ al-Shófi‘õ and Ghazólõ, two eminent scholars, belong in any rank
of the mujtahids or not. The scholars state regarding Róyunõ, the author of
al-Baúr al-Ró’ iq
6
, that he was not amongst the mujtahids though he often
said, “I can recount the narrations of Imam Shófi‘õ by memory if they are
ever lost.” When such eminent scholars could not reach the level of itjihód
in madhhab, then how can one who can’t even understand the writings of
these scholars claim a higher level of ijtihód?
ٌمْيِظَع ٌناَ تْهُب ا َ ذَه َكَناَحْبُس
Rófi‘õ is quoted as saying, “It is almost a consensus of the scholars that
no mujtahids remain today.”
@
POSSIBILITY OF MUJTAHIDS IN OUR TIME
This is a lengthy article worth reading. An essay written by Shaikh ûabīb
al-Raúmón A‘þamõ [published in the magazine, al-Dó‘õ, of Deoband at the
end of Sha‘bān in 1396/1976] summarizes this subject. He says:
The ijtihód, which many scholars say has gone extinct, refers to inde-
pendent ijtihód. This is plainly stated by Ibn ûajar Makkõ and Ibn
ýalóú. In fact, Ibn ýalóú quotes many scholars on the principles of
Dõn saying that there has been no independent mujtahid since Imam
Shófi‘õ. Sha‘rónõ says, “After the four imams, none has laid claim to
being an independent mujtahid except for Ibn Jarõr al-ùabarõ, who
has been denounced by all.”
Ijtihād
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
58
This is what is known historically. As far as whether it is actually possi-
ble for any independent mujtahid to be born after the four imams, Sha‘rónõ
states, “No doubt, the possibility exists because Allah u is All-Powerful,
and there is no evidence to prove otherwise.” Shaikh ‘Abd al-ûayy says,
Whoever says no mujtahid can be born after the four imams is sure-
ly mistaken. But if he proclaims that no such person existed who
claimed to be a mujtahid and was accepted by the majority of schol-
ars after the four imams, he is absolutely correct.
@
ENDNOTES
1 Mughnõ 11/383
2 I‘ lóm al-Muwaqqi‘õn 1/ 46
3 I‘ lóm al-Muwaqqi‘õn 1/ 46
4 Independent ijtihód refers to the ijtihód in which the mujtahid is not dependent on
another in deriving rulings. For example, Imam Abñ ûanõfa practiced independent
ijtihód though his students did not, since they were dependent on his principles to
derive rulings from the Qur’an and Sunna.
5 Ibn ýalóú was a scholar from the 7
th
century C.E. which means that in his view
independent ijtihód had ceased from the 4
th
century A.H.
6 Commentary of the ûanafõ text, Kanz al-Daqó’ iq
59
_
Chapter Five
Restricting the Mujtahids
to Four Imams
@
THREE PROOFS OF RESTRICTING TO FOUR IMAMS
Shāh Walõ Allóh Dehlawõ writes in his book ‘Iqd al-Jõd:
Know that there are many reasons behind restricting the commu-
nity to four imams. There are many problems with following anyone
besides the four imams and we will prove this with strong evidence.
Firstly, the community is unanimous that we must trust the pious
predecessors in understanding the Shari‘a. This is why the First Suc-
cessors always trusted the Companions l just as the Second Succes-
sors trusted the First Successors in understanding the Shari‘a. Even
the rationale supports this arrangement because the Shari‘a can only
be learned by narration and derivation. Narration can only be au-
thentic when it is acquired from the people who precede us. As for
derivation, one is dependent on knowledge of the madhhabs of the
earlier scholars; this is so as to avoid splintering from them by holding
an opinion that opposes the [scholarly] consensus. Any opinion taken
must be based on their opinion and nothing else. To gain knowledge
of the earlier scholars every generation must seek help from the gen-
eration before it, as is the case with all the arts and sciences, such as
Arabic morphology, Arabic syntax, medicine, poetry, blacksmithing,
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
60
carpentry, and dyeing. One cannot master any of these until he spends
time with an expert in the respective field. Though it is rationally pos-
sible for one to be self-trained in any field, it is unlikely to happen.
Now, when it is understood that we must rely on the sayings of
the pious predecessors, it is also important that these sayings have an
authentic chain of transmission, that they are compiled in reliable
books, and that the scholars have annotated these books to clarify
one meaning where various meanings may exist. In some places, the
general [‘ómm] should be made specific [khóü] and an indeterminate
word [muølaq] a determinate word [muqayyad] and the evidence of
the rulings should be derived there from.
The second proof is that the Blessed Prophet s said, “Follow
the majority group [sawód al-a‘þam].”
1
Thus, when every madhhab
besides the madhhab of the four imams disappeared, following the
madhhab of one of the four imams is the majority group [sawód al-
a‘þam] and to part from them is to separate from the majority group
[sawód al-a‘þam].
The third proof is that a long time has past and trustworthiness
in people has disappeared. We certainly cannot depend on the errant
scholars. They would attribute false statements towards the pious
predecessors whose trustworthiness and truthfulness is known. Since
this transmission through the errant scholars is not dependable, we
will reject whatever is narrated by them. As for the four madhhabs,
it is necessary for us to adhere to them because their madhhabs are
organized and systematized; their books are endorsed by the scholars
and are dependable. Therefore, no one can attribute anything wrong
towards them.
2
@
TAQLöD TO THE FOUR IMAMS IS INCIDENTAL
Muftõ Muúammad Shafõ‘ in his book Jawóhir al-Fiqh explains why we
follow only four imams and answers the question as to whether there is
anything wrong with following any imam. He also addresses the question
regarding whether following the four imams is proven to be in accordance
with the Qur’an and Sunna. He writes:
Restricting taqlõd to the four imams happened incidentally and
was not a legal or rational choice. By the will of Allah u, every
61
madhhab besides the four madhhabs disappeared over time and
became as if they never existed. Even if ten, thirty, fifty, or hun-
dred rulings from their madhhab are saved, one cannot establish a
complete madhhab based on such a small number of rulings. If one
decides to follow them in these rulings, then what is to be done in
the thousands of other issues where there is no known opinion by
them? As every madhhab besides the madhhabs of the four imams
disappeared it became clear that following our Dõn would be sub-
ject to following one of the four madhhabs. Therefore, Ibn Khal-
dñn writes in his Muqaddamat al-Tórõkh regarding the madhhab of
the Literalists [Ahl al-ÿóhir]:
يَ لَع ِ رْوُهْمَجْلا ِ را َ كْنِا َو ٍةّمِئَ ا ِ سْوُرُدِب َمْوَيْلا ِ رِها ّ ظلا ِ لْهَ ا ُبَه ْ ذَم َسَرَد ّمُ ث
ِةَدْيِدَجْلا ِ بُ ت ُ كْلا يِف ّ لِا َقْبَي َل َو ِهْيِلِحَ تْنُم
Then the madhhab of the Literalists vanished because their imams died
out and because the majority [jamhñr] rejected their followers and noth-
ing remained of them except their names in the new books.
Ibn Khaldñn adds:
ْنَمِل َنوُدّل َ قٌمْلا َسَرَدَو ِةَعَبْرَْ لا َ لؤَه َدْنَع ِ راَصْمَْ لا يِف ُدْيِلْ قّ تلا َفَ قَوَو
ِةَعَبْرَْ لا ِةّمِئ َْ لا ِء َ لؤَه ِديِلْ قَ ت ىَ لَع َمْوَيْلا ِ مَلْسِْ لا ُ لْهَ أ َراَص ْدَ قَو …ْمُهاَوِس
All the different regions, only following of the four imams is observed
while the followers of all other imams have died. When terminologies
overwhelmed the sciences, reaching the level of ijtihód became dif-
ficult [because of the inability to fulfill its conditions]. When ijtihód
was about to come in the hands of inept and untrustworthy people and
those who did not possess the good character of Dõn, the scholars de-
clared the door of ijtihód closed. They exhorted people to follow one of
the four imams and prohibited them from conjoining madhhabs. The
rulings and opinions of other imams, therefore, only survived in the
books. Their madhhabs never developed and neither were there any
books that preserved all their rulings. Once the principles had been
laid out and the chain of transmission to the imam authenticated, every
Restricting the Mujtahids to Four Imams
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
62
person took the madhhab of their imam. Then the word fiqh, in that
time, became the epitome for following one imam only. The claim to
ijtihód, especially in this age, is absolute nonsense and following such a
person is unwarranted. The scholars of Islam are now unanimous upon
following these four imams.
@
ONLY THE FOUR IMAMS WILL BE FOLLOWED
Shaikh Ibn Hammóm writes in al-Fatú al-Qadõr:
ِةَعَبْرَْ لا ِةّمِئ َ ْلِل ِةَ فِلا َ خُمْلا ِ بِها َ ذَمْلاِب ِ لَمَعْلا ِ مَدَع يَ لَع ُعاَمْجِْ لا َدَ قَعْنِا
The consensus is that none of the madhhabs which compete with the
four imams will be followed.
Ibn ûajar Makkõ writes in Fatú al-Mubõn [commentary of al-Arba‘õn]:
ٍكِلاَم َو ّيِعِفاّشل َ ا ِةَعَبْرَْ لا ِةّمِئ َْ لا ِ رْي َ غ ُدْيِلْ قَ ت ُ زْوُجَي َ ل اَن ُ تّمِئَ ا َ لاَ قَ ف اَنِناَم َ ز يِف اّما
َ لَبْنَح ِ نْب َدَمْحَ ا َو َ ةَ فْيِنَح ْيِبَ ا َو
And in our time, our scholars say it is not permissible to follow any-
one except Imam Shófi‘õ, Imam Mólik, Imam Abñ ûanõfa, and
Imam Aúmad ibn ûanbal.
Now, for someone to ask for proof as to why taqlõd is restricted to four
imams is feeblemindedness. This is like the example of a father who had
eight children of which four died in his life and four remained after his
death. It is understood that any inheritance the father leaves behind will
be distributed amongst the four children only, and the four children who
died before the father will not receive any share of the inheritance. Of
course, this is not a denial of their existence at some point in the past. In
this case, you will never hear a person ask why the inheritance is being
distributed amongst the four sons only and why the deceased children are
not getting their share. But if anyone did ask, we would say that this is
how fate had it.
63
Mulla Jõvan wrote in his Tafsīr al-Aúmadī:
ِدْنِع ْنِم ٌ ةَيِلْوُب ُ ق َو ّيِلِا ٌ ل ْ ضُ ف ِ عِبْرَْ لا يِف ِ بِها َ ذَمْلا َراَصِحْنِا ّنَ ا ُفاَصْنِْ لاَو
ِةّلِدَْ لاَو ِتاَهْي ِ جْوَ تْلِل اَهْيِف َ لاَجَم َ ل يَلاَعَ ت ِلا
The truth is that the restriction to four imams is nothing but the
grace of Allah u and a sign of His acceptance of the four imams.
There is no place for evidence and reasoning in this matter.
@
ENDNOTES
1 Musnad Aúmad, 30/392, 32/157
2 Iqd al-Jõd, p. 14
Restricting the Mujtahids to Four Imams
64
_
Chapter Six
TaqlĪd
@
THE REALITY OF TAQLöD
When the doors of ijtihód closed and every madhhab ceded to the
madhhabs of the four imams, taqlõd of the four madhhabs became in-
cumbent upon the community. Those who say taqlõd is polytheism [shirk]
do not understand the meaning of taqlõd. Taqlõd is not independent of
the Sunna of the Blessed Prophet s. It is nothing more than acceptance
of all the rulings the mujtahids derived from the Qur’an, the aúódõth,
and the sayings of the Companions l. This is because the definition of
taqlõd is given as:
When one who does not possess the ability of ijtihód accepts the
derivative juristic rulings of a mujtahid; he does not ask for proof
and trusts that the mujtahid possesses the proof to support his ruling.
In Abñ Dówñd, Jóbir g narrates:
“Once we went on a journey. A stone hit and injured one of the men
on the head. Shortly after, he became impure by major ritual im-
purity [janóba] and had to take a bath. He asked his friends, ‘Am
I allowed to perform dry ablution [tayammum]?’ They replied, ‘No,
not when water is available.’ He then took a bath and died shortly
65
thereafter. After they returned, the Blessed Prophet s was informed
of the incident. He said, “They killed him, may Allah u kill them.
When they did not know the ruling why didn’t they ask a scholar;
asking is the cure for an incompetent person.”
1
These people derived their opinion from the explicit meaning of the
aya, ‘and you did not find water,’
2
but as mentioned previously, there are
many conditions for ijtihód. This is why Shaikh al-Islam Ibn Taimiyya
says in his fatwa:
The opinion of the majority of the community is that ijtihód and
taqlõd are both permissible: ijtihód for one who has the ability to do
so and taqlõd for the one incapable of it.
3
In another place, he writes:
It is permissible for a person to follow a specific imam when he is un-
able to gather information about the Shari‘a from any other source.
Though, if he can gain knowledge of the Shari‘a through other
means, he is not then obligated to follow the madhhab of that imam.
Abū al-Walõd Bójī Mólikõ, commentator of the Muwaøøa’ writes in
Kitób al-ûudñd fi al Uüñl:
4
Taqlõd means to accept the one you are following without asking for
proof though you may already know it. This is obligatory upon a
person who is incapable of ijtihód.
Shaikh Gangohī writes in one of his letters
5
which Mufti Shafõ‘ repro-
duced in his book Jawóhir al-Fiqh:
You say: taqlõd of a specific imam is an evil innovation [al-bid‘at
al-sayyi’a].
I say: According to you, taqlõd of a specific imam is permissible and
you have admitted to this yourself. The only problem is you do not
understand the meaning of ‘permissibility.’ Listen for a minute, you
TaqlĪd
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
66
should know that you have just rejected the textual and rational evi-
dences of taqlõd [by pronouncing that taqlõd of a specific imam is an
evil innovation]. Taqlõd itself is mandated by the aya:
َنوُمَلْعَت ل ْمُ تْن ُ ك ْنِإ ِ ر ْ كّ ِذلا َ لْهَأ اوُلَأْساَف
So, ask the people [having the knowledge] of the message if you do
not know.
6
And the hadith:
ُ لاَؤّسلَ ا ّىِعْلا ُءاَ فِش َ اّنِإ
Verily the cure of an incompetent [who does not possess the necessary
means, skill or know-how] person is in asking.
7
It is also understood that Dõn cannot be attained without learn-
ing; it is not something acquired by the senses or the intellect. There-
fore, absolute taqlõd [taqlõd muølaq] is itself mandatory [for one who
does not possess the ability of ijtihód]. Surely, you will accept this
much but if you don’t, than I shall prove it in another way:
Absolute taqlõd is of two kinds:
1 Restricted taqlõd [to a specific imam]
2 Unrestricted taqlõd
Both these two originate from the same root of absolute taqlõd re-
gardless of how you put it. You may call it a root and its two branches,
an absolute and its two particulars, or a whole and its two parts; put
it anyway you want it. Anyhow, both of these two particulars are
subordinate to absolute taqlõd, which is mandatory. Now I ask you,
how a part [or branch] of a whole [or root] which is mandatory can
itself be permissible. O servant of Allah u! Mandatory and allow-
able [mubóú] are two opposite branches from the root of command
[úukm]. Then, how can the branch of allowable simultaneously be
a branch of its opposite [mandatory]. Think for a minute, absolute
taqlõd is mandatory and restricted taqlõd allowable, though restricted
taqlõd is a part of absolute taqlõd. The discrepancy in your thinking is
67
based on this one misunderstanding. Now use your head. Both types
of taqlõd are mandatory. There is no allowable except in the option of
choosing between restricted and unrestricted taqlõd. If you take one
you have no need for the other but if you leave both you are sinful.
The option of choosing between one of the two is metaphorically
called allowable, not that restricted taqlõd itself is allowable. The ex-
ample of this is like expiation for one who breaks his oath [úalaf ].
Expiation for breaking the oath is itself mandatory, but one is per-
mitted to expiate by feeding the poor, clothing them or freeing a
slave. It is permitted for him to do any one of the three, but to refuse
all of them is a sin. Likewise is the case with all the general principles
of the Shari‘a. Everything the Shari‘a regulates as a general order
is mandatory. The permissibility is only in choosing the option be-
tween one of its many parts. It is not the contradiction you assumed
by declaring restricted taqlõd as allowable when it is actually manda-
tory. If this is the case, then by the same token that restricted taqlõd
is at the most allowable in your opinion, those who say restricted
taqlõd is mandatory will respond that unrestricted taqlõd should be
an evil innovation. This is because unrestricted taqlõd is in the same
meaning as restricted taqlõd in being allowable since they both are
branches of the same root [i.e., if restricted taqlõd is an innovation
in your opinion, then why would it be wrong for them to assert that
unrestricted taqlõd is also an innovation since both restricted and
unrestricted taqlõd are branches of the same root].
@
A LETTER BY SHAIKH QôSIM
The letter is lengthy but worth reading. Mufti Shafõ‘ reproduced a letter of
Shaikh Qósim Nónautwõ, who wrote:
Listen to this important point on taqlõd. Undoubtedly, there is only
one Dõn, and that is the Dõn of Islam, and all the four madhhabs are
on truth [úaqq].
Ayurveda and modern medicine are essentially the same. The
ayurvedic diagnoses and prescribes medicines like the modern phy-
sician but at the time of sickness, the only one whose treatment is
taken is the one who is caring for the patient. Nobody will take the
opinion of the other, be it the ayurvedic or the physician. Likewise,
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in common issues or otherwise when there is disagreement between
the madhhabs, the muqallid will follow his imam whoever it may
be. Yes, it sometimes happens that we leave one physician for an-
other, but even then we only take the medicine prescribed by the new
physician. Likewise, it happened in the past that some of our pious
predecessors left their madhhab for whatever reason and began fol-
lowing another. Once they changed their madhhab, they stuck with
it. They never combined different opinions from different madhhabs
as if making their own fifth madhhab. Imam ùaúówõ, an eminent
jurist and hadith master, was previously Shófi‘õ but later chose the
ûanafõ madhhab. However, there is no way out without taqlõd. This
is why millions of hadith masters and other scholars were muqallid.
Take the example of Imam Tirmidhõ, who was a great scholar, jurist,
and hadith master. He is also the author of the renowned hadith
collection, Sunan al-Tirmidhõ but was still a muqallid, and if you do
not believe me study his hadith book, Sunan al-Tirmidhõ. When such
scholars were muqallid [Imam Tirmidhõ was a muqallid of Imam
Shófi‘õ; Imam Abñ Yñsuf and Imam Muúammad were muqallid
of Imam Abñ ûanõfa] then which scholar of our time can be free
of taqlõd? And what difference does it make if one of the previous
scholars did not do taqlõd of one of the imams? Who looks at one or
two people when millions are doing it? If you ask anyone with any
understanding, you will be told that the true way is to follow the way
that has been established from the time of the pious predecessors in
our community. Furthermore, it would be foolish of us to straddle
between madhhabs only because a few scholars did so in the past. It
is like the example of a sick and ignorant person observing a physi-
cian diagnosing and treating himself and suddenly he feels he should
do the same. After all, if the physician can do it why can’t he and
thus save himself a trip to the doctor? Would you call this person
smart or foolish? Similarly, if an ignoramus rejects taqlõd on the basis
that some scholar in the past did his own ijtihód, would you not say,
regardless of whether he truly possesses knowledge or not, that he
has no common sense in matters of Dõn? And forget the ignorant
ones, believe me, even most of the scholars of today are completely
ignorant. In fact, some of these scholars are more ignorant than the
ignorant. With two Urdu books under their arms, they go around
giving speeches without possessing an iota of knowledge. Knowledge
of Dõn is when one can teach any subject of Dõn to the seekers of
knowledge.
8
69
@
CONFESSION OF A SALAFö SCHOLAR
Amongst many of the letters of Shaikh ûussain Aúmad Madanī
9
is a long
letter written in response to the former head of al-Jamó‘t al-Islómī in India,
Abñ al-Laith. He writes:
Shaikh Muúammad ûussain Batólwõ was one of the fieriest leaders
of the Salafõ group. He was bitterly opposed to taqlõd and was one
of the foremost propagators of the Salafõ movement in India at the
time. He [Shaikh Batólwõ] writes in his magazine Ishó‘at al-Sunna
[v.2: p. 20, 51-53]:
‘After fifty-three years of experience, I have learned this
much: those who ignorantly renounce following an inde-
pendent mujtahid and belief in absolute taqlõd eventually say
farewell [salóm] to Islam. Some of them convert to Chris-
tianity while others renounce all religions and become in-
dependent of any religion or belief. The lowest level of this
renunciation is rejection of and deviation from the rulings of
Shari‘a; some of these heretics go as far to reject the Jumu‘a
üalót, congregational üalót, üalót, and fasting. They do not
abstain from alcohol and usury. Some of them avoid open
confrontation with the Dõn for worldly reasons but are en-
gaged in it quietly. They entrap women, wedding them ille-
gitimately; and usurp people’s wealth through impermissible
means; hold up the wealth owed to Allah u; and violate His
rights. There are other ways of inviting disbelief, apostasy,
and heresy, but the most effective way of destroying the Dõn
of the people who are ignorant of Dõn, is rejection of taqlõd.’
@
DISCOURSE BETWEEN SHAIKH QôSIM
AND A SALAFö SCHOLAR
This excerpt of Shaikh Muúammad ûussain Batólwõ’s words taken by
Shaikh ûussain Aúmad Madanī shows what Shaikh learned after many
years of experience. In another book, Sawóniú-e-Qósimõ, there is another
incident about him. Shaikh Muúammad ûussain Batólwõ wrote a letter
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to Shaikh Qósim Nónautwõ saying, “I need to talk to you privately about
some important matters, but under the condition that none of your stu-
dents will be with you when we talk.” Shaikh Nónautwõ accepted and
replied, “Please do come.” Thereafter, Shaikh Batólwõ came to Shaikh
Nónautwõ, the door of the room was closed, and the conversation began.
Shaikh Nónautwõ said to Shaikh Batólwõ, “Whatever you say, be
aware of two things. First, you will narrate the ruling of the ûanafõ madh-
hab while I am responsible for presenting the evidences. Second, I am a
muqallid of Imam Abñ ûanõfa; any objection you raise must be based on
a ruling of Imam Abñ ûanõfa, not something written in Shómõ
10
or by the
author of al-Durr al-Mukhtór that he said such and such thing because I
am not their muqallid.”
Thereafter, many controversial issues of raising the hands after bowing
[ruku‘ ], reciting Sñrat al-Fótiúa behind the imam, saying ómõn out loud,
and other such issues were discussed. As per instruction, Shaikh Batólwõ
narrated the ruling of the ûanafõ madhhab on the issue while Shaikh
Nónautwõ presented evidence from the Qur’an and Sunna. During the
talk, whenever Shaikh Nónautwõ presented his arguments and evidences,
Shaikh Batólwõ would become ecstatic, frequently crying out, ‘Allah u be
praised, Allah u be praised,’ and almost stood up in amazement. When
the talk was over, he said, “I am amazed that a person like yourself and
then a muqallid!” (i.e. with all this knowledge, insight, and ability to de-
rive from the Qur’an and Sunna how can you be a muqallid?) Shaikh
Nónautwõ replied, “And I am amazed that a person like yourself can be a
Salafõ.” I also heard this same incident from some elders. They said that
at the end of their talk, Shaikh Nónautwõ said to Shaikh Batólwõ, “Your
saying what you said about me while I am a muqallid is reasonable proof
of the importance of taqlõd.”
@
AN ANECDOTE
One of my classmates, who graduated from Maþóhir al-‘Ulñm,
11
was later
employed as a librarian in the school library but left because of the low
salary. He went to work in Aligarh [India] for a Ph.D doctor who was a
Salafõ. He sent me a letter three or four days after being hired, explaining
how he was enjoying it in Aligarh and that the salary was decent. He also
said, “He [the doctor] is very good; he loves me and always invites me for
71
dinner. Since I have arrived though, I have gotten myself stuck in a pre-
dicament. When he prays and rises from after bowing, he raises his hands
and keeps them frozen in that position until he is in prostration [sajda].
He never falls on his face because he is used to it, but when I do the same
thing I fall on my face. When I tell him that Shaikh Thanó Allóh u
Pónõpatõ and Shaikh Naþõr ûussain [known Salafõ scholars] wrote in their
fatwas that one should drop his hands after raising the hands he exclaims,
‘Am I a muqallid of Shaikh Naþõr and Shaikh Pónõpatõ? If I wanted to do
taqlõd why shouldn’t I just follow Imam Abñ ûanõfa who was greater in his
knowledge, his deeds, and his taqwó than them?’ Could you kindly send
me a hadith that proves that the Blessed Prophet s dropped his hands
immediately after he raised them before he prostrated? I am in a very dif-
ficult position.”
At the time, I was teaching a session on aúódõth. I don’t have the letter at
the moment, nor do I remember the whole incident, but I do remember
sending some aúódõth by Abñ ûumaid al-Sa‘dõ g from Bukhórõ. In the
hadith, the Companion g describes the Blessed Prophet s:
ُهَنا َ كَم ٍ راَ قَ ف ّ لُ ك َدْوُعَي ّتَح يَوَ تْسِا ُهَساَر َعَ فَر ا َ ذِاَ ف
As he stood up, he would relax until every limb was in its proper place.
12
This can only be true if the Blessed Prophet s dropped his hands after
raising them.
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@
ENDNOTES
1 Abñ Dówñd, fi al-Majrñú Yatayammam
2 5:6
3 Fatówó Ibn Taimiyya, 20/203
4 Kitób al-ûudñd fi al-Uüñl, p. 64
5 This letter was written in response to someone who wrote to him about the matter
of taqlõd. He agreed that absolute taqlõd was obligatory but declared that taqlõd of a
specific imam [taqlõd al-shakhs] was an innovation and if anything, permissible only.
6 21:7
7 Baihaqõ 1/227 | Dare Quønõ 1/189 | Abñ Dówñd fõ al-Majrñh Yatayammam
8 Jawóhir al-Fiqh, 1/135
9 Makótõb Shaikh ûussain Madanī, p. 416
10 An appellation for the ûanafõ text, Radd al-Mukhtór
11 Reknowned traditional Islamic school in Sahóranpñr, India
12 Bukhórõ, Sunnat al-Julñs fi al-Tashahhud
73
_
Chapter Seven
TaqlĪd of the Greatest Imam,
Imam AbŪ ûanĪfa
@
THE MADHHAB OF IMAM ABŪ ûANöFA
The madhhab of Imam Abñ ûanõfa, which is the most prevalent
madhhab in the Indian subcontinent, spread through the first Muslim
conquerors who were ûanafõs. Thus, the ûanafõ madhhab spread with
the spread of Islam in the subcontinent. There are many other reasons
why the ûanafõ madhhab flourished in the subcontinent, as I have men-
tioned in the introduction to my book, Aujaz al-Masólik. One of the
reasons was that, of all the imams, the period of Imam Abñ ûanõfa was
closest to the Blessed Prophet s. He lived in the same century as the
Blessed Prophet s and was born in 80 A.H.
In Bukhórõ, the three-person transmission [thulóthiyót] aúódõth are the
most authentic aúódõth and many books have been authored on them. A
three-person transmission hadith is a hadith in which the chain consists
of three people between the hadith master [e.g., Imam Bukhórõ] and the
Blessed Prophet s: the first being the teacher of the hadith master then
a First Successor, and lastly a Companion g. According to the ûanafõs,
Imam Abñ ûanõfa was a First Successor therefore only a Companion g
came in between him and the Blessed Prophet s, and the maxim about
the Companions l is: al-ýahóba Kulluhum ‘Udñl [all the Companions l
were righteous]. Those who take Imam Abñ ûanõfa as a First Successor say
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the ûanafõ madhhab is a two-chain transmission [thanó’õ], the first one
being a Companion g, the second a First Successor who is also the teacher
of Imam Abñ ûanõfa; and a student is more informed of his teacher than
anyone else. Therefore, to accuse the ûanafõ madhhab of weakness is a
fair sign of incompetence in the science of hadith. One cannot fault narra-
tions in evidence of the ûanafõ madhhab if a weak narrator is found in the
third or fourth link down the chain of transmission. For this reason Ibn
Taimiyya writes in his fatwas:
1
The imams who came before the collection of hadith books knew the
Sunna of the Blessed Prophet s more than the later scholars. This
was because many of the aúódõth, which reached them and were au-
thentic in their opinion, often times reached us with a broken chain
or through an unknown narrator. At that time, their hearts carried
a larger number of aúódõth and sciences than are found in the books
of aúódõth.
Another notable point is that Imam Bukhórõ compiled twenty-three
three-person transmission aúódõth. Twenty of them consist of students or
students of the students of Imam Abñ ûanõfa. Eleven are by Makkõ ibn
Ibróhõm who was a student of Imam Abñ ûanõfa. It is known that once
he narrated a hadith saying, “Abñ ûanõfa narrated to us.” Someone from
the crowd shouted, “We don’t want to hear the hadith of Abñ ûanõfa,
narrate the hadith of Ibn Juraij.” He replied, “I do not narrate my aúódõth
to idiots and it is unlawful upon you to write any of my narrations.” After
this, he refused to narrate another hadith until the objector was expelled
from the gathering.
Six aúódõth are by Abñ ‘ôsim al-Nabõl ÷aúúóq ibn Mukhlid who also
was a student of Imam Abñ ûanõfa. Three aúódõth are by Muúammad ibn
‘Abd Allóh Anüórõ who was a student of Imam Ẓufr and Imam Abñ Yñsuf.
Two narrators remain. I was not able to determine whether they were stu-
dents of Imam Abñ ûanõfa or not.
It is narrated in the introduction of Aujaz that Sha‘rónõ said that what-
ever aúódõth Imam Abñ ûanõfa brought in support of his madhhab were
taken from the greatest First Successors of his time. It is unimaginable for
anyone of them to be suspected of forging aúódõth and if someone finds
weakness in the evidence of the ûanafõ madhhab, it is because of weak-
ness in the narrators after them. Therefore, the weakness has no effect on
the narrations which Imam Abñ ûanõfa chose in support of his madhhab.
75
In Aujaz, we explained the madhhab of Imam Abñ ûanõfa in detail.
In the ninth note it was explained that the madhhab of Imam Abñ ûanõfa
was based on strong principles. The following article is taken from the
work of Ibn ûajar al-Shófi‘õ. He said:
It is essential that you are not deceived regarding the term scholars
sometimes use about Imam Abñ ûanõfa and his companions being
‘the followers of opinion’ [Aüúób al-Ra’y]. Do not be deceived into
thinking that Imam Abñ ûanõfa favored his own opinion over the
Sunna or sayings of the Blessed Prophet s because he has been ex-
culpated from any such accusation. This is because it is understood
from different sources that Imam Abñ ûanõfa first took from the
Qur’an and then looked in the aúódõth. And when nothing was to be
found in the Sunna of the Blessed Prophet s he looked in the say-
ings of the Companions l. If the Companions l disagreed on an
issue he took the opinion closest to the Qur’an and Sunna, and never
ignored the sayings of the Companions l. When an answer was not
to be found in the sayings of the Companions l, he did his own ijti-
hód. He resorted to ijtihód in the end and, like other First Successors
of his time, did not take the opinion of his contemporaries.
Imam ‘Abd Allóh ibn Mubórak narrated that Imam Abñ ûanõfa said:
We take a hadith if it is available, otherwise the sayings of the Com-
panions l, but never beyond that. If we find the opinions of the
First Successors, then I will compete with them [in deriving rulings].
It is also narrated that he said, “It is surprising that people say my
fatwa is a product of my own opinion though I derive my fatwas from
the aúódõth.”
He also said:
It is not permissible for anyone to say anything from his own opinion
when a ruling is to be found in the Qur’an; and the same is true of
the aúódõth. Likewise, it is not permissible to form a different opin-
ion when the Companions l agreed on any issue. It is only when
the Companions l disagreed that we will choose from their opin-
ions whichever is closer to the Qur’an and Sunna.
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Somebody once said to Imam Abñ ûanõfa, “Stop using analogical
deduction, Satan was the first to rationalize!” Imam Abñ ûanõfa turned to
him and said, “O so-and-so, your argument is irrational because Satan ra-
tionalized to reject the order of Allah u and became a disbeliever, whereas
my rationalization is to follow the commandments of Allah u. This is
because my analogical deduction is based on the Qur’an, the Sunna of the
Blessed Prophet s, the Companions l and their First Successors. Thus,
we are adherents of the Qur’an and Sunna, how then can we be equal to
the accursed Satan?”
The man replied, “I was mistaken, I repent to Allah u. May Allah u
enlighten your heart as you enlightened mine.”
@
MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT ûANAFö MADHHAB
Ibn ûajar Makkõ said:
The accusation against the ûanafīs that they oppose the authentic
aúódõth of the Blessed Prophet s without any proof is because the
accusers did not research the principles of the ûanafõ madhhab.
He elaborated on the principles of the ûanafõ madhhab as has been
quoted in the introduction of Aujaz, saying:
One of the many principles of the ûanafõ madhhab is that a singular
chain of transmission narration will not be accepted if it contradicts
an agreed upon injunction. Also, a narration will be considered ab-
rogated if the narrator’s [Companion g] own practice is against it.
Likewise, a narration will be rejected if a narrator narrates something
out-of-the-ordinary that has not been narrated by any of his contem-
poraries. Another principle is that a ruling against a criminal will be
overturned if a singular chain of transmission narration raises any
doubt about the ruling. This is because the ûanafīs do not accept
doubt [shubha] in matters related to criminal law. Another principle
is that the singular chain of transmission narration will be consid-
ered abrogated if the Companions l disagreed upon any issue in
which that narration was ignored. Also, a narration with a singular
chain of transmission will be rejected if it contradicts the explicit
77
meaning of an aya of the Qur’an; this is because the Qur’an is defini-
tive while the singular chain of transmission narration presumptive;
and it is mandatory to choose the stronger evidence over the weaker
one. Another principle is that the singular chain of transmission nar-
ration is rejected if it opposes a known Sunna.
These principles vindicate Imam Abñ ûanõfa from the false accusations
[that he threw out singular chain of transmission narrations without justifi-
able reason] that arose from the hearts of jealous men and those ignorant
of his principles and of the concept of ijtihód. This also clarifies that Imam
Abñ ûanõfa never ignored a hadith until he found evidence stronger than it.
Ibn ûazam al-Ẓóhirõ says, “All the ûanafõs are unanimous that in the
madhhab of Imam Abñ ûanõfa a weak hadith is more preferable to any
opinion that is reached thereafter.”
It is narrated that Sha‘rónõ said, “Imam Abñ ûanõfa was the most
God-fearing, the most scholarly, the most pious, the most careful in mat-
ters of Dõn, and the furthest of all people from interjecting his own opin-
ion in Dõn. He never decided an issue until he gathered all his companions
in one group, and when they all agreed that it fell according to the rules
and principles of the ûanafõ Madhhab, he would say to Imam Abñ Yusuf,
‘Write this issue in such and such chapter.’”
It has been mentioned in Aujaz that whenever an issue was raised be-
fore him, he would ask his companions in a gathering, “What aúódõth do
you have in this matter?” When everybody narrated whatever they knew
and Imam Abñ ûanõfa narrated what he knew, he would take the opinion
with the most narrations. In the introduction of Aujaz, I wrote at length
on the various accusations leveled against Imam Abñ ûanõfa and their
answers. The principle of Imam Abñ ûanõfa that a singular chain of trans-
mission narration should not oppose the explicit meaning of an aya or a
known Sunna of the Blessed Prophet s is actually taken from the words
of ‘Umar g regarding the divorce of Fóøima bint Qais j. Fóøima bint
Qais j complained to the Blessed Prophet s that her husband divorced
her. According to Fóøima bint Qais j, the Blessed Prophet s ordered that
she would neither stay in her former husband’s home [suknó] nor receive
allowance [nafqa] from him during her waiting period [‘ idda]. ‘Umar g
said, “We cannot ignore the injunctions of the Qur’an and Sunna because
of one woman. Who knows whether she still remembers or has forgotten
what he told her.”
2
According to some narrations, he said, “Maybe she is just conjecturing.”
3
TaqlĪd of the Greatest Imam, Imam Abū ûanīfa
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78
@
IF THE HADITH IS AUTHENTIC IT IS MY MADHHAB
This is a famous quote from the four imams which has been narrated with
different wordings. ûófiþ ibn ûajar al-‘Asqalónõ in Fatú al-Bórõ, elaborates
on this under the chapter of “Raising both the Hands When Standing
from Bowing.” He narrates a quote from Ibn Daqõq al-‘öd who said, “Ac-
cording to the principles of Imam Shófi‘õ, raising the hands should be
desirable,” and comments, “As far as the statement that this ‘Should be the
madhhab of Imam Shófi‘õ because Imam Shófi‘õ said, ‘When a hadith is
authentic, it is my madhhab’ is objectionable.”
ûófiþ ibn ûajar continues, “The reason for objection is that we can
only practice upon this statement of Imam Shófi‘õ when it is known that
the hadith did not reach him. But if it did, and he rejected or interpreted
it, then we cannot accept it.”
ûófiþ ibn ûajar spoke the truth.
Imam Mólik narrates the narration of Ibn ‘Umar g in his Muwaøøa’
that when the Blessed Prophet s raised himself from bowing, he raised
his hands, though in Mudawwana,
4
he is famously quoted as saying that
according to him raising the hands during üalót is weak except in the open-
ing takbõr. He also said, “I do not find raising the hands anywhere else
except in the opening takbõr.” I have expounded this issue in Aujaz.
In Badhl al-Majhñd,
5
many aúódõth are narrated about executing a
thief who steals repeatedly under the chapter of ‘Thief Who Steals Repeat-
edly,’ It is narrated by Ibn Qayyim that Imam Aúmad ibn ûanbal was
asked, “Why did you reject these aúódõth?” He replied, “Because of the
hadith of ‘Uthman g in which it says that a Muslim can only be executed
for three reasons and stealing is not mentioned amongst them.”
This subject has been discussed at length in Badhl al-Majhñd. The
only point I wish to make is that Imam Aúmad ibn ûanbal knew of the
aúódõth about ‘executing a thief who steals repeatedly,’ but did not accept
them. In the disagreement regarding the definition of a large body of water,
the madhhab of Imam Aúmad ibn ûanbal is that anything more than two
large clay vessels [qullatain-there is variance between ûanbalõ scholars as
to the exact size of these vessels] of water is a large body of water, though
Imam Aúmad ibn ûanbal authenticates the b’ ir al-buðó‘ hadith [which
is contrary to his own madhhab] as mentioned in al-Mughnõ.
6
Therefore,
whatever ûófiþ ibn ûajar said about the statement of Imam Shófi‘õ was true.
The Shaikh of Islam, ûófiþ Ibn Taimiyya, in his booklet Raf ‘ al-
Malóm, narrates ten different reasons why the imams rejected a hadith.
79
One of them is that the hadith reached the imam, but he did not authen-
ticate it or that he implemented certain conditions for a singular chain of
transmission narration which this hadith did not fulfill. Another reason
is that he received the hadith, but he interpreted it to remove a contradic-
tion between this and another hadith. After narrating the ten reasons, Ibn
Taimiyya says:
These are the apparent reasons for rejecting a hadith. It is possible the
scholar had another reason which we are unaware of because the sea
of knowledge is very deep and we cannot grasp all the secrets that are
hidden in the hearts of these scholars. Sometimes the scholar may re-
veal his proof while at other times he may not. Sometimes he reveals
it, but sometimes the proof reaches us and at other times it does not.
Even when it reaches us sometimes we are able to figure how the evi-
dence was derived while at other times we cannot; and this is regard-
less of whether the proof is correct or incorrect. This is something
that can only be disclosed to one who is erudite in the hadith, as in
the four imams. Many authentic and clear aúódõth reached them,
but they rejected them based on strong evidences. There are many
authentic narrations on raising the hands [during üalót], but neither
the four imams nor the majority of the hadith masters accepted them.
The issue of raising the hands [in üalót] is mentioned in Aujaz.
@
RESPECT FOR ALL MADHHABS AND IMAMS
One thing that should never be forgotten is that a muqallid of any muj-
tahid is not allowed to be disrespectful of any hadith master because he
opposes the opinion of his own imam. In fact, even the heart should be
kept pure about them. Shaikh of Islam, Ibn Taimiyya dedicated a whole
booklet, titled Raf ‘ al-Malóm ‘an A’ immat al-A‘ lóm, on this matter which
is important and worth reading. This booklet is available separately and is
also appended to his collection of fatwas. In this booklet, he says:
It is incumbent upon all Muslims to befriend the pious ones as they do
Allah u and his Blessed Prophet s since it is the order of Allah u
in the Qur’an. This is especially regarding the scholars of Islam who
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are the inheritors of the prophets of Allah u and who are like the
stars in the sky which guide us in the night when its darkness de-
scends on the land and the seas. The community is unanimous in
agreeing upon their insight and their guidance. The scholars of the
Muslims are the greatest in the community because they are the
successors of the Blessed Prophet s and revivers of the Sunnas of
the Blessed Prophet s. The Book of Allah u is preserved through
them and they are nourished by it. It should be understood that none
amongst the accepted imams wantonly rejected the aúódõth of the
Blessed Prophet s. This is because they are all unanimous that ad-
herence to the Blessed Prophet s is obligatory, and that anyone can
be accepted or rejected, but none can reject the aúódõth of the Blessed
Prophet s. If the opinion of any scholar contradicts a hadith, there
must be a reason behind it.
After this, Ibn Taimiyya narrates ten reasons why the imams did not
accept a hadith. He makes it clear that these are only the apparent reasons;
there may be many other reasons we have no information about. In this
booklet, he specifically rebuts those who are critical of the imams. He also
writes that if a mujtahid is mistaken in his ijtihód he receives one reward
and his mistake is forgiven but if he is correct, his reward is doubled. If he
is not among the people of knowledge and he does ijtihód, he will be sinful.
This is like the example of the hadith about the man who received a head
injury and asked if he could perform dry ablution. When he was told he
must take a bath and he died as a result soon after, the Blessed Prophet s
said about them, “They killed him, may Allah u kill them.”
Furthermore, there is a long discourse in the fatwas of Ibn Taimiyya
in response to the question, ‘Was Shaikh ‘Abd al-Qódir Jilónõ among the
loftiest of the friends of Allah u and was Imam Aúmad ibn ûanbal the
greatest of the imams?’ This article is also worth reading. In this article, Ibn
Taimiyya writes that one who believes that taqlõd of Imam Shófi‘õ is the
most virtuous should not criticize those who believe that taqlõd of Imam
Mólik is the most virtuous. Likewise, those who believe that taqlõd of Imam
Aúmad ibn ûanbal is the greatest should not criticize those who believe
taqlõd of Imam Shófi‘õ is the greatest. Therefore, it is important for one to
be cautious in taqlõd of the imam he believes to be closest to the truth and
this also goes for the mujtahid when he follows what he believes to be the
closest to the truth. The most important thing is to never follow your lower
self [nafs] and to never speak on an issue without prior knowledge of it.
81
Ibn Taimiyya also wrote that those who accuse Imam Abñ ûanõfa and
other imams of deliberately taking analogical deduction over the authentic
aúódõth are displaying animosity towards the imams because they are only
speaking from conjecture and their base desires. Take for example Imam
Abñ ûanõfa. They say that on many occasions he inclined towards analogi-
cal deduction over authentic hadith. Then, Ibn Taimiyya counters this by
narrating many instances of Imam Abñ ûanõfa taking authentic aúódõth
over analogical deduction.
In Tadhkirat al-Rashõd, Shaikh ‘ôshiq Ilóhõ Mõratõ illustrates the
hadith sessions of Shaikh Rashid Aúmad Gangohī and says Shaikh
Gangohī would say, “I have a special place in my heart for the madhhab
of Imam Abñ ûanõfa and am at peace about its being on truth [haqq].”
Despite this love and affection for the madhhab of Imam Abñ ûanõfa, it
was unthinkable of him to disrespect another madhhab or the imam of
another madhhab. If he ever saw any one of his students inclined towards
spurning another madhhab, he corrected him both verbally and practi-
cally. Even in taqlõd he disliked the rise of sectarianism and discrimina-
tion. If he felt some students being biased towards the hadith masters,
he changed the course of his speech. When any of the students raised
an objection or he heard any of them make a cutting remark [about any
of the hadith masters] his look would change and he began narrating
the evidences of Imam Bukhórõ in place of the evidences of the ûanafõ
madhhab. This was in order to inculcate love and respect in the students
for the hadith masters.
In ôp Bõtõ, Shaikh Ashraf ‘Alõ Thānwī is quoted from Ifóðót-e-Yaumia
as narrating that once a scholar sat in Shaikh Gangohī’s session. After
hearing Shaikh’s speech, he became zealous and cried out, “Shaikh, in
your session even a hadith becomes ûanafõ. If Imam Shófi‘õ was alive, he
would have been silenced.” Shaikh became red with anger and said, “What
are you saying? You think I would have the courage to say anything if
Imam Shófi‘õ was alive? If he was here at this moment I would not dare
speak in front of him. In fact, I would become his muqallid and would re-
ject the taqlõd of Imam Abñ ûanõfa because it is not permissible to follow
a deceased mujtahid while another is alive.”
I remember too from the elders that Shaikh Gangohī said, “Before
Imam Shófi‘õ, my speech is like a childish objection.”
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@
THE TEN PROPRIETIES
During my studies in Maþóhir al-‘Ulñm, classes usually began on a
Wednesday. When I started my sessions, I also started on a Wednesday.
I began my session with the introduction to knowledge [muqaddamat al-
‘ ilm], introduction to the book [muqaddamat al-kitób], and other miscel-
laneous topics which I continued until the coming Wednesday. At the very
end, my last topic of discussion was the basic proprieties [ódób] required of
every student during his studies, of which I specifically emphasized the ten
basic proprieties. I was young and energetic and as the hadith says,
ِ نْوُنُجْلا َنِم ٌ ةَبْعُش ُباَبّشلَ ا
Youth is one branch of insanity.
7
If I saw any student violating any one of the ten basic proprieties af-
ter having been emphasized in the beginning of the year, I quickly got
up from my place, slapped him, and returned to my seat. The students
who had learned the basic ten proprieties understood why the student was
slapped, but a guest or students from another class [who came in large
numbers to attend my class] would be confused about what had happened.
The students would say, “He probably slept or leaned his elbow on the
book.” The other proprieties are:
1 Sincerity of intention.
2 Regular attendance in class. One could see my attendance
register from those days. None of the students, for many years,
had the absent sign after their name.
3 Sitting in a straight line in class; students should sit respect-
fully in a straight line.
4 To not sleep in class.
5 To not lean on a book.
6 To not miss any hadith. For this reason, absence was a major
sin in my class.
One of my habits was that if a hadith contained a profane word [as
in the chapter of criminal law] I translated it as it would be in Urdu;
the only condition was that no student was allowed to laugh, then I
83
explained the hadith. From my understanding, my Urdu translation was
an exact rendering of what the Blessed Prophet s and Abñ Bakr g
had said. Should I consider my own dirty tongue to be better than the
Blessed Prophet’s s and Abñ Bakr Siddique’s g? If they said what they
said without any apprehension then who am I to avoid it thinking it bad
manners? For example, when words like ‘ankutuhó’ and ‘umüuü baþr al-
Lót’ came in the hadith, I translated it but, again, under the condition
that no student laughed.
7 Giving full respect to the scholars, i.e. to never object against
them; utter disrespectful or derogatory remarks about them;
and most importantly to never hold anything in the heart
against them. Some people, in their defense of the ûanafõ
madhhab, debase the scholars and some idiots go as far as
to criticize the hadith masters. This is something I have no
patience for.
8 To not feign respect, but truly carry it in the heart for the
teacher, otherwise one will be deprived of knowledge.
9 Do not raise objections against the hadith masters.
I enumerated these briefly. Shāhid has published my lectures on
Bukhórõ which elaborate on the proprieties of the knowledge of Dõn. It is
also to be found in ôp Bõtõ in more detail. Another one of the proprieties
relates to clothing and appearance. In this particular etiquette, I made sure
to emphasize the importance of the beard. Anyone with a trimmed beard
could not enter my class and study hadith from me. One of the student
who trimmed his beard was registered to attend my hadith classes. I told
him I had removed his name from the attendance list of my Abñ Dówñd
class. In the first exam, his name appeared on every teacher’s attendance
list except in my Abñ Dówñd class. The dean thought it had probably been
erased absentmindedly. He called me to ask about it. I happened to be
in the exam room at the time. I told him the student’s name hadn’t been
removed forgetfully, but that I had done it because he trimmed his beard.
The rule was that teachers were not allowed to remove names from the at-
tendance list, however, the love of my elders for me gave me the freedom
to do as I deemed fit. If a student skipped my class I erased his name and
told him, “I have erased your name, go to the dean and complain to him.
I will talk to him myself.” The love and affections of my elders for me had
made me audacious. May Allah u grant all of them the highest rank in
Paradise and forgive me for my shortcomings.
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A year or two later, I received his letter requesting that, “I want to take
bai‘a with you.” I replied, “You have already experienced what I am like.
My elders, Shaikh Thónwõ, Shaikh Madanī, and the successors of Shaikh
Raipñrī, are better than me and certainly of the highest order. Go and take
bai‘a on their hands.” He then sent another letter saying, “You are the only
one who can rectify the heart of a person as hardheaded as me.” This ar-
ticle has become more of an autobiography. The point was to mention that
in my class debasing the four imams, the hadith masters, and the scholars
was unforgivable.
@
ENDNOTES
1 Fatówó Ibn Taimiyya 20/239
2 The hadith of Fóøima bint Qais j is a singular chain of transmission hadith, and
though it is authenticated, it contradicts the explicit injunction of the ayas and other
authentic hadith. For this reason, the hadith is rejected.
3 Badhl al-Majhñd 3/322
4 One of the original works which compiled the rulings of Imam Mólik.
5 Badhl al-Majhñd 5/137
6 al-Mughnõ 1/25
7 Muüannaf Ibn Abõ Shaiba, 8/163 | Maøólib al-‘Aliyya, Bób Waüõyyat al-Nófi‘a
85
_
Chapter Eight
Taýawwuf
@
OBJECTIVE OF TAýAWWUF IS IûSôN
As previously mentioned, Jibra’õl e came to the Blessed Prophet s
and asked him, “What is iúsān?” The Blessed Prophet s replied:
ُهاَرَ ت َكّن َ أَ ك َ لا اوُدُبْعَ ت ْنَ أ
That you worship Allah u as if you see Him.
Taüawwuf is another name for iúsān or, one may say, the acquisition
of the attribute of iúsān. It is also called Taüawwuf and Sulñk or whatever
else you may call it. These are merely different names of the same thing.
My grandfather, Shaikh Muúammad Ismó‘īl Kóndhelwī requested
Shaikh Rashid Aúmad Gangohõ, “I need to talk to you in private.” When
they were alone he said, “I am a [spiritual] student of Shaikh Muúammad
Ya‘qñb Dehlawõ and a student of Shaikh Muþaffar ûussain Kóndhelwī.
They taught me according to the Naqshbandõ method. When I ap-
plied the method, my six spiritual ethereal points [of the soul] [al-laøó’ if
al-sitta]
1
began turning like a spinning wheel. But I was eager to follow
the Sunnas of the Blessed Prophet s and was diligent in reading au-
thentic supplications [du‘ó] from the aúódõth e.g. the supplication when
entering and exiting the bathroom or going to the bazaar, etc. This is why
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I had little interest for the practices devised by the spiritual mentors. I
would sometimes meditate for ten or fifteen days, but nothing more. This
is my situation and now I am weak and ask that you prescribe for me cer-
tain spiritual practices.” Shaikh Gangohī said, “Have you achieved iúsān
through your own practices or not?” He replied, “Yes, I have.” Shaikh
Gangohī replied, “Then you don’t need to be prescribed anything because
practicing the different practices of the sufis after attaining iúsān is like
reading Karõma [i.e., an introductory Persian text] after reading Gulistón
and Bostón [two advanced Persian texts] which is obviously a waste of
time. Getting into the practices and exercises of the sufis for you is sinful
and a waste of time.”
2
I have heard from my elders and also from Shaikh Gangohī that,
“What if one who has memorized the Qur’an said, ‘Teach me the Arabic al-
phabet because I have not read it?’” Shaikh Gangohī says in another place:
The power of the Blessed Prophet’s s spirituality was such that
once a disbeliever recited the testament of faith [shahóda] he im-
mediately attained the level of iúsān. One example of iúsón in the
Companions l is that they said, ‘How can we go to the bathroom
and denude ourselves before our Lord?’ This was a manifestation
of their iúsān. They were not in need of spiritual exertions [mu-
jóhadót] and exhaustive meditative devotions [asghól ] because they
had achieved iúsón by the blessing of the Blessed Prophet’s s com-
pany. But their level of iúsón was much less than the iúsón of the
Blessed Prophet s, and likewise the iúsón of the First Successors
was less than the iúsón of the Companions l. Soon enough, the
level of iúsón achieved in the era of the Second Successors became
so weak that the spiritual masters were forced to devise exhaustive
meditative devotions to revive this aspect of Dõn and prevent its
further decline.
For a while, these devotions were no more than means to achieve a
noble objective, but as we moved away from the golden era, they became
ends unto themselves. As the devotions evolved and were improvised with
the times, innovations of different kinds [doctrinal, practical etc.] slowly
made their way into this science of Dõn. Though the most eminent spiri-
tual masters destroyed many of these innovations, they were unable to
eliminate them entirely. Shaikh specifically took the names of Shaikh ‘Abd
al-Qódir Jilónõ, Shaikh Shihób al-Dõn Suhrawardõ, Mujaddid Alf-e-Thónõ,
87
and Sayyid Aúmad Shāhõd as some of the spiritual masters who struggled
hard to weed out all the innovations from Taüawwuf but who were unsuc-
cessful in doing so.
@
TAýAWWUF CREATES LOVE FOR THE SUNNA
Shaikh Gangohī also said, “Allah u unveiled the path of the Sunna to
them.” He said:
One of the blessings of the Sunna is that Satan has little oppor-
tunity to deviate those who adhere to the Sunna. It is understood
that if a person is strict upon the things the Blessed Prophet empha-
sized throughout his life e.g. the congregational üalót [jamó‘a], the
obligatory acts [faróið], necessary acts [wójibót] and the emphasized
Sunnas, Satan cannot inject arrogance in his heart. Such a person
will neither begin to exalt himself and think of himself a friend of
Allah u nor will others think he is great and exalted. But if one
becomes steadfast on the practices which the Blessed Prophet s
performed occasionally e.g. pre-noon üalót [ðuúó], post-sunrise üalót
[ishróq], or voluntary üalót after Maghrib [awwóbõn] he then becomes
arrogant and people also begin to think something of him.
During this speech Shaikh Gangohī also said, “The Blessed
Prophet s specified iúsān as the sole objective [of Taüawwuf ] while the
sufis take spiritual absorption [istighróq] as its final objective.”
Note what Shaikh Thónwõ writes in the footnote of Arwóúe-e-Thalótha:
‘Imam Bukhórõ narrated in Kitób al-Tafsīr from Ibn ‘Abbós g that
people were ashamed of exposing the area of the body which one
is obligated to cover [satr] even in private and when going to their
women. At that time, the aya was revealed, ‘Beware when they cover
up themselves with their clothes, He knows what they hide and what they
expose.’
3
Instead, the sufis* [are not ashamed] …
*Footnote: I [Shaikh Thónwõ] say: this is a reference only to the
ignorant sufis.’
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@
THE LETTERS OF SHAIKH AûMAD SARHINDö
4
I have written in the beginning that Taüawwuf and iúsón were one and
the same thing in the opinion of my elders and that iúsān is one essential
aspect of the divine Shari‘a. This topic is covered extensively in the writ-
ings of the elders.
Shaikh Mujaddid also emphasized this in his letters. I have also pub-
lished three of his letters. The first letter is lengthy which is addressed to
the sons of his spiritual mentor, Shaikh Khawója Bóqõ Billa. It is worth
reading. He writes:
Attainment of purification is based on the fulfillment of good deeds
that achieve the pleasure of Allah u which also rests on the sending
of prophets. Therefore, without the sending of prophets, true purifi-
cation is not attainable; and the purification which the disbelievers
and wretched people achieve is not really purification of the heart
but purification of the lower self. One who achieves purification of
the lower self is destroyed and deviated. The clairvoyance [kashf ]
which some of the disbelievers and wretched people see after attain-
ing purification of the lower self are delusions [istidrój].
After writing on the importance of rectifying the beliefs, he says:
After rectification of beliefs, one must learn the rules of fiqh. It is also
important to learn the necessary acts, the obligatory acts, the lawful
[úalól ] and unlawful, the Sunna, the desirable [mandñb], the ques-
tionable [mushtaba], and undesirable [makrñh], and to practice the
Dõn according to the requirements of fiqh. Once one has acquired
the two branches of beliefs and fiqh then, if Allah u permits, there
is also the path of the sufis.
Sulñk is not independent of fiqh and beliefs. It is to establish
a certainty of heart and firmness of belief that protects one against
doubtfulness when he is put in doubt and which protects against the
destruction of faith if one becomes doubtful of his belief. Another
benefit of Sulñk is that it puts ease in performing good deeds, and
eliminates lassitude and rebelliousness which stem from the lower
self that incites to evil. It is not of the objectives of this path that
different celestial forms and shapes of the unseen appear before him
89
or so that illuminations [anwór] and colors [alwón] become [spiritu-
ally] perceptible. They are only diversions and foolery of the material
world. In fact, if one performs meditative devotions to attain such
things, he puts himself in severe danger; and this is because these vi-
sions, openings into the unseen, and lights are like us: only creations.
They do nothing more than prove [as all creation does] the existence
of Allah u.
I said in the very beginning that the first thing Jibra’õl e taught
was faith [i.e. beliefs], then Islam [i.e. deeds], and then iúsān [i.e. Sulñk].
Shaikh Mujaddid mentions these three in the same order in his aforemen-
tioned letter.
In letter thirty-six, he writes:
The Shari‘a guarantees success of the material world and the Hereaf-
ter, and Taüawwuf is a vehicle of this Shari‘a.
He also says:
The Shari‘a is made up of three integrals: knowledge, deeds, and
sincerity [ikhlóü]. Until these three are not established [in the life
of a Muslim] the Shari‘a is not established. Once the Shari‘a is es-
tablished, the pleasure of Allah u is guaranteed. This pleasure of
Allah u is superlative and above and beyond the successes of the
material world and the Hereafter.
ُرَب ْ كَأ ِهّ للا َنِم ٌناَو ْ ضِ رَو
And Allah’s u pleasure is above all.
5
Thus, the Shari‘a guarantees success of the material world and the
Hereafter. Now [we know] that there is no objective higher than ad-
herence to the Shari‘a and that one should not depend on anything
else [to achieve salvation]. The sufis excel in Taüawwuf and úaqõqa;
they perform the completion of the third branch of sincerity. The
purpose of the completion of this branch is for no other purpose
than to achieve completion of the Shari‘a. It is not for the purpose of
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temporal spiritual states [aúwól ] and gnosis of Allah u which the
sufis often acquire during their journey on this path. In fact, these
two things are like the feelings beginners experience when they start
their journey on the path of Taüawwuf. It is important to ignore
all these things and move on to where one attains the pleasure of
Allah u because attainment of the pleasure of Allah u is where
the journey of Sulñk and jadhb culminates. This is because the pur-
pose of covering the different steps of Taüawwuf is to achieve total
sincerity and nothing else, and attaining the pleasure of Allah u is
intrinsic to sincerity.
Of the thousands of seekers, few are actually taken through vi-
sions and spiritual manifestations before they reach the wealth of
sincerity and the pleasure of Allah u. Shortsighted people take the
temporal spiritual states as objectives and the attainment of spiritual
manifestations and clairvoyance as worthy causes. Such people are
imprisoned in their superstitions and are deprived of practice upon
the entire Shari‘a. Though, this much is true that these temporal
states, the celestial knowledge and the gnosis of Allah u, are in-
terwoven with the acquisition of sincerity and the attainment of the
pleasure of Allah u. In this way, they [temporal states, celestial
knowledge, and gnosis of Allah u] are passages to the attainment
of the true objective.
This reality and the status which the Shari‘a is most deserving of be-
came transparent to me [Shaikh al-Hadith Muúammud Zakariyyó], by
the blessings of the Blessed Prophet s, after ten years in this path.
Though I was never overwhelmed by temporal and ecstatic states
[mawójid], and I never thought much of anything besides attainment of
the Shari‘a, the truth [of the above reality that clairvoyances and spiri-
tual states are not the objective—the only objective is practicing upon the
Shari‘a] became manifest to me after ten years.
I am grateful to Allah u that my response to Shaikh ûabõb al-
Raúmón’s [leader of the Aúrór party]
6
question
7
about the reality of Taüaw-
wuf was the same, that: Taüawwuf is rectification of the intention [niyya]
as has already been mentioned in detail in ôp Bõtõ.
8
Many other incidents
of this kind have also been narrated in ôp Bõtõ.
Khawója Muúammad Ma‘sñm [son of Mujadid Alf-e-Thónõ] in his
letters also emphasized the importance of making the sole objective,
achievement of the pleasure of Allah u. In letter sixty, he writes,
91
Achievement of friendship with Allah u [wilóya]
9
is by adherence
to the Shari‘a while achievement of the highest level in the path of
prophethood is by adherence to the essence of the Shari‘a. Thus,
there is no concept of friendship with Allah u and achievement
of the highest level in the path of prophethood outside the realm
of Shari‘a.
In letter # 11, he writes:
After rectification of the beliefs, adherence to the correct opinion
[derived from the Qur’an and Sunna] is extremely important. Fur-
thermore, there is no shortcut from performing the obligatory and
necessary acts and preventing oneself from the unlawful acts. Islam
is based on five pillars. If any one of these five pillars is demolished,
the house of Dõn will become weak and insecure. After rectification
of the beliefs and practice of Dõn, it is also necessary to traverse the
path of the sufis in order to gain gnosis of the truth and to be saved
from the harmfulness of the prurient desires of the lower self. I don’t
understand how a person can live who is deprived of the gnosis of
Allah u and is incognizant of Him, and how he endears himself to
[material] things.
In another letter, he writes:
Brother Mulla ûasan has a question he wants addressed about some-
thing I wrote in my letter to ‘Ubaid Allāh Baig. His question is
that the Shari‘a defines right from wrong; therefore, he remembers
reading somewhere that Taüawwuf is about goodwill with everyone,
whereas the Shari‘a is dislike of the enemy and friendship toward the
friend. What a despicable question. Since when is there a difference
between the Shari‘a and Taüawwuf and since when were they coun-
terparts? The Shari‘a is founded on divine revelation, there is neither
doubt nor any adulteration in its laws and it will remain as such until
the Day of Judgment.
Everyone is obligated to follow the Shari‘a, be it majority or mi-
nority. Taüawwuf does not have the audacity to abrogate the laws of
the Shari‘a and free its followers from following them. One of the
most firm beliefs of the Ahl al-Sunna wa al-Jamó‘a is that no one,
Taüawwuf
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while conscious and sober, can reach a level that frees him from ad-
herence to the commandments of the Shari‘a. Whoever believes any
different has left the fold of Islam. [A person] Befriending one who is
a known enemy of Allah u and who is subject to the harshest ruling
of the Shari‘a, has left the folds of Islam. Befriending the enemies
of Allah u and then claiming love for Allah u and his Blessed
Prophet s are contrary to each other because adherence to the be-
loved and befriending the friends of the beloved while hatred towards
the enemies of the beloved are the requirements of love. This much
can be said that on occasion something may appear amongst the
spiritual students that opposes the Qur’an and Sunna. At that time,
the seeker should not break off from the Shari‘a, but rather hold to it
even stronger. He should do taqlõd of the imams and adhere to their
practices and beliefs while ignoring his own intuition [wijdón] and
clairvoyances. Sometimes, the worthless ones of the path of Sulñk
declare, ‘Surely, I am Allah u.’ Such deviants misguide the naive
seeker from the loftiest objectives towards worship of themselves. At
this time, it is necessary for the true seeker to declare as Ibrahim e
did when he said, ‘I like not those that disappear.’ He should race
through the savannah of the unseen [i.e. do not get preoccupied with
his clairvoyances, the spiritual manifestations, celestial shapes and
colors, etc.] towards the Creator in spirit of the aya:
َنِم اَنَأ اَمَو اً فيِنَح َضْرلاَو ِتاَواَمّسلا َرَ طَف يِذّ لِل َيِ هْجَو ُتْهّجَو يِّنِإ
َيِكِ رْشُمْلا
I have, indeed, turned my face straight towards the One who created
the heavens and the earth, and I am not one of those who associate
partners with Allah u.
10
He should follow the Blessed Prophet s completely so that he is not
deviated by the vagaries of creation.
11
In this letter, Shaikh Khawója is pointing to an incident that is men-
tioned in ôp Bõtõ with reference from Shaikh Qósim Nónautwõ in the book
Arwóú-e-Thalótha. There was a famous spiritual mentor by the name of
Khawója Aúmad Jóm whose every supplication was accepted [mustajób
93
al-da‘wót]. One woman brought her blind child to him and said, “Wipe
your hands over his face and repair his sight.” At the time, he was over-
whelmed by the state of servitude to Allah u [‘ubñdiyya]. He humbly said,
“I cannot do such a thing.” She insisted but he again declined. This went
on three or four times until when he saw that she wouldn’t listen, he stood
up and left saying, “This was the miracle of ösó e; he cured the blind and
healed the lepers. I can do no such thing.” He had not walked far when he
received a divine inspiration [ilhóm] that, “Who are you, who is ösó e and
who is Mñsó e! Go back and wipe your hand over his face. You cannot
cure, nor can ösó e, mó mõ kunaim (We do it).” He began uttering the
words ‘mó mõ kunaim, mó mõ kunaim’ repeatedly. He wiped his hand over
the child’s face and his blindness was repaired.
After narrating this incident, Shaikh Nónautwõ said, “Stupid people
think it was his words though it was actually the words of Allah u. When
the poet sings a couplet, the listener hymns it in delight. Likewise, the
words of Allah u ‘mó mõ kunaim’ put him in a spiritual state of ecstasy
and he repeated it over and over again [in delight].”
Shaikh Thānwī writes in the footnote of Shaikh Qósim Nónautwõ’s
comment, “It was the words of Allah u,” “I say, this is the best explana-
tion of Manüñr ûallój’s
12
declaration, ‘Ana al-ûaqq,’ [I am ûaqq].”
13
The purpose of writing all of the aforementioned is that a person should
only be concerned with himself. One should not criticize others and find
faults in them, especially in the pious elders, scholars, and spiritual masters.
One should not be critical about their actions and statements. None is to
be followed in anything against the Shari‘a, but at the same time we are
not responsible for their actions and utterances.
14
@
TAýAWWUF IS ADHERENCE TO
THE SUNNA AND SHARI’A
In another letter, Shaikh Khawója writes:
One should strive vigorously to fulfill the commandments of the
Shari‘a. He should make enjoining the good and forbidding the evil
his habit and nature. He should think it an exalted mission to revive
the extinct Sunnas of the Blessed Prophet s and make a concerted
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effort to suppress the descent of every spiritual meaning [wórid] after
it descends into his heart. He should not rely on dreams and things
seen during spiritually heightened states. Nothing happens from see-
ing oneself a king or the hierarch [quøb] of the sufis of his time in his
dream. A true hierarch of the sufis or king is one who is in reality a
king or a hierarch of the sufis. And even if one becomes a king and
this whole world his kingdom, the punishment of the world and the
Hereafter will not be waived for him.
People with vigor and people of strength do not care for such
things; they remain focused only on achieving the pleasure of
Allah u. They focus all their effort and exhaust themselves in
achieving the pleasure of Allah u, selflessness, and the descent of
perpetual spiritual meanings into the heart [that are the fruits of at-
taining a perpetual state]. I hope from friends like yourself that you
will not forget this sinful one and will ask for the mercy, forgiveness,
and pleasure of Allah u for him [referring to himself ].
15
In another letter, he writes:
Due to the increased distance in time between the Blessed
Prophet s and ourself and also the closeness of our time to the
Day of Judgment, innovations are increasing and their darkness is
engulfing the world. The Sunnas have become scarce and their light
is fading away. It is important that we strive vigorously to revive
the extinct Sunnas, spread the knowledge of the Shari‘a and under-
stand that the true meaning of the revival of the Sunnas is attain-
ment of the pleasure of Allah u and also closeness to the Blessed
Prophet s. It is mentioned in the hadith that whosoever revives
a Sunna which has waned in practice will receive the reward of a
hundred martyrs. The first step in reviving a Sunna is to practice it
oneself, then to spread it and encourage others to follow it.
16
Shaikh Thānwī writes in Ta‘ lõm al-Dõn:
‘Rectification of the false belief that following the Shari‘a is not im-
portant for becoming a Sufi’ is originally from the book Futuúót
Makkia [by Ibn ‘Arabõ] in which it also says, ‘Anything that oppos-
es the reality of the Shari‘a is falsehood.’ It says in another place,
95
‘Whosoever says there is another path to Allah u besides the Shari‘a
is a liar. Therefore, such a person should not be chosen to be one’s
spiritual mentor who does not have propriety.’ It also says, ‘There is
no way for us except the Shari‘a and that which He has taught us in
the Shari‘a.’ Shaikh Bóyazõd Busøómõ says, ‘Do not be fooled if you
observe a person bestowed with supernatural wonders [karómót] even
if he flies in the sky, unless you see him strict upon the laws of the
Shari‘a, upon avoiding the forbidden acts, and vigilant about staying
within the boundaries of the Shari‘a.’ Shaikh Junaid says, ‘All the
different avenues are closed to the world except the one which fol-
lows the Blessed Prophet s every step of the way.’ In another place
in Fñtñúót it says, ‘He has no worth in the eyes of Allah u who does
not know His rule [the Shari‘a] because Allah u has never made any
ignorant person a friend.’ It also says in Fñtñúót, ‘It is better to com-
mit a vulgar act with knowledge than in ignorance.’
Shaikh Thónwõ says, “This is because if a scholar utters something
offensive, it will not reach the extent of disbelief. Since he is aware of it
being offensive, he will most likely repent. On the other hand, an ignorant
person sometimes will perform even necessary worship incorrectly and
perpetrate acts of disbelief unknowingly and will not be fortunate enough
to repent because of being unaware of his wrongdoing.”
Shaikh Thānwī wrote at length on this topic in his book Ta‘ lõm al-Dõn.
@
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE KNOWER
AND THE IGNORANT
Once my father was bathing on a humid day and two or three of his
students were pouring buckets of water over him. A man sitting nearby
said, “Shaikh, isn’t this wasteful [isróf ]?” He replied, “For you, not for me.”
The man said, “How is that possible?” My father replied, “Because I am
a knower while you are ignorant.”
17
The man then said, “Then it is true
what is said that Maulvõs
18
make everything permissible for themselves.”
My father said, “Absolutely! Maulvõs defend themselves against this truth
without reason. One thing will be impermissible because of the ignorance
of the ignorant and at the same time permissible because of the knowledge
of the knower.”
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Abñ Sa‘õd Khudrõ g narrates that Bilól g brought a basket full of
inferior quality dates. The Blessed Prophet s asked, “Where did you get
this from?” He replied, “I had some inferior quality dates; I exchanged two
kilos of the inferior quality dates for one kilo of the premium ones.” The
Blessed Prophet s said, “Oh no, this is usury! Never do this! If you ever
wish to buy like this again, first sell the inferior quality dates for a specific
amount and then purchase the premium dates with that amount.”
19
It is obvious that an ignoramus will never see the difference. He would
only understand that one kilo of premium dates were purchased with two
kilos of inferior quality dates. A knower, however, will use the permissible
way to make the purchase. For example, he will sell the inferior quality
dates for two rupees and then use those two rupees to purchase one kilo
of premium dates.
@
LETTERS OF SHAIKH MADANö
Shaikh Madanī also stressed in his letters that the objective of Sulñk is the
attainment of iúsān only. In one letter, he says:
“My respected brother! The real objective of Sulñk is the attainment
of iúsān:
ُهاَرَ ت َكّن َ أَ ك َ لا َدُبْعَ ت ْنَ أ
That you worship your Lord as if you see him
And that is that the [spiritual] trait of perpetual consciousness of Al-
lah u is born from Sulñk. As far as the ultimate goal, it should be to
attain the pleasure of Allah u.
One of the means of achieving the pleasure of Allah u is to work
diligently to inculcate true love for Allah u and to nurture that love
to the extent that the heart extricates itself [from the love of ] every-
thing else. Likewise, all the methods, be it spiritual exertions or recti-
fication of morals, are also means to achieve the pleasure of Allah u.
The earlier sufis gave priority to moral rectification; however, some-
times a person dies before attaining spiritual closeness to Allah u
[wuüñl ila Allóh] and as a result one is deprived of this great blessing,
97
departing from this world before attaining this gift of Allah u. The
later sufis, though, were more sagacious in their approach; they gave
precedence to closeness to Allah u and concentrated on the essence
of Allah u. In creating a stronger closeness to Allah u, they helped
produce the quality of perpetual consciousness of Allah u. When
it is done in the manner taught by the later sufis this quality of per-
petual consciousness of Allah u becomes deeply entrenched in the
heart and the evil traits dissipate. Anyhow, you should always be en-
grossed in the essence of Allah u, whether it is by engrossing oneself
in the essence of Allah u or any one of His complete attributes, and
maintain the state of, ‘Those who are diligent in their üalót.’
20
It is only natural for a human to have shortcomings in his ac-
tions, but it is his responsibility to make every effort to eliminate
these shortcomings and to recite wa iyyóka nasta‘õn (and we ask for
help from you only) with sincerity. The Blessed Prophet s said in
one of his supplications:
َكِتَداَبِع ّقَح َ كاَنْدَبَع اَم
We did not worship You as was Your right
21
Thus, it is our responsibility to perpetually rectify our actions,
purify our intentions, and repent to Allah u because of the reality
of our continuous shortcomings. While hoping for His mercy one
should also always be fearful of His wrath because faith lies between
fear and hope. Always, be constant in adhering to the Sunnas of
the Blessed Prophet s in every situation. Although, you are not in
need of the devotions it is better you continue those of the prescribed
meditations [muróqaba] that you find more suitable for yourself in
order to gain spiritual strength. Also, read al-ýiróø al-Mustaqõm
22
and
Imdód al-Sulñk
23
often.
24
In another long letter, Shaikh Madanī writes:
Hold to the Sunnas of the Blessed Prophet s in your heart and in
your sight as best as you can. Never be ignorant towards dhikr of
Allah u. Always be repentant to Allah u for your ignorance and
sins. Do not waste this precious time.
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In the next letter, he writes:
Is it not true that you have left the prescribed devotions? When you
become zealous you work hard for a month or two but then quit
soon after. Is it not true that you are not punctual in the congre-
gational üalót? Is it not true that you miss Fajr in the morning and
sleep until sunrise? Do these types of events in your life not hurt
your well-wishers? Anyhow, it is important that you rectify your-
self. Strive to adhere to the Sunnas of the Blessed Prophet s and
revival of the Shari‘a. When you face hardship then you remember
Allah u and when Allah u grants you ease and comfort, you be-
come indifferent. Make the dhikr of Allah u your habit as much
as you can.
In another letter, he writes:
The different spiritual states you wrote to me of are comforting and
good, but steadfastness is better than miracles [al-istiqóma fauq
al-karóma]. Dreams, illuminations, or divine inspirations are only to
encourage the seeker and keep him steadfast [on the path of Sulñk]
like a toy that is given to a child to keep it occupied. The famous
saying of the elders is:
ةَ قْي ِ ر ّ طلا ُ لاَ ف ْ طَ ا اَهِب يّبَرُ ت ٌت َ لاَيِخ َكْلِت
They are toys by which the children of the path are raised.
25
The only things required of us are worship, perpetual dhikr of
Allah u, adherence to the Sunna of the Blessed Prophet s, and fol-
lowing the Shari‘a. The completion of faith is based on steadfastness
upon these requirements and attaining the level of iúsān. Fear and
hope of Allah u are two signs of the completion of faith. Weeping
[bukó’ ] and grief [úuzn] are two spiritual qualities that are the unique
traits of the Chishtiyya path.
26
99
In the next letter, Shaikh Madanī writes:
O Respected one! Hardships of the world are also His mercy, and it
is through hardship that He brings His servant closer to Him, other-
wise this person would become Pharaoh and Hómón declaring ana
rabbukum al-a‘ ló [I am your great Lord]. The evidence of his rebel-
liousness to Allah u is the aya:
ُهّنِإ ُءاَشَي اَم ٍ رَدَقِب ُ ل ّ ِ زَنُي ْنِكَلَو ِ ضْرلا يِف اْوَغَبَل ِهِداَبِعِل َ ق ْ ز ّ ِ رلا ُهّ للا َ طَسَب ْوَلَو
ٌيِصَب ٌيِبَخ ِهِداَبِعِب
Should Allah u expand the provision for His servants [to its full ex-
tent], they would spread msichief on earth; but He sends down what
He wills in [due] measure.
27
Allah u is continuously testing us, sometimes through riches
and sometimes through hardship:
ً ةَنْ تِف ِ رْي َ خْلاَو ّ ِ رّشلاِب ْم ُ كوُ لْبَنَو
We test you through bad and good.
28
In another place, Allah u says:
ِتاَئّ ِيّسلاَو ِتاَنَسَحْلاِب ْمُهاَنْوَلَبَو
We tested them through good and bad situations.
29
Thus, this world is a trial in which we are tested in different ways.
We should make every effort to overcome these trials and should not
enamor ourselves with anything but our Everlasting True Master.
Make the correct intention for anything you do and it will become
an act of worship. As the hadith says, ‘Verily all actions are based on
intentions.’ Even your sleeping, eating, drinking, and the necessities
[of life] can be converted into acts of worship. Any medium that
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leads to an act of worship is also an an act of worship. The purpose of
dhikr and cogitation [fikr] is only to attain the pleasure of Allah u.
Fulfillment of a desire, purification of the heart, gaining the powers
of clairvoyance and supernatural wonders, experiencing the blessings
and illuminations, attainment of the passing away of the self [fanó]
or subsistence [baqó], rising to the hierarchy of the sufis [quøubiyya
or gauthiyya] are all subjective and not the objective. To aim for these
things and to make them one’s goal is dangerous.
All the above mentioned experiences and states are only medi-
ums. The only true objective is the pleasure of Allah u. It is the
goal of the servant to achieve total servitude to Allah u. Be strong
and strive on this path and keep in mind the goal of sincerity and
servitude to Allah u.
30
In another letter, he writes:
This lifetime and its every second are precious gems. We are wasting
them in our ignorance and nothing will come of this except regret
and grief for our actions. And what is to happen when we are asked:
ُريِذّنلا ُم ُ كَءاَجَو َر ّ كَ ذَت ْنَم ِهْيِف ُر ّ كَ ذَتَي اَم ْم ُ كْرّ ِمَعُن ْمَلَوَأ
ٍ رْيِصَن ْنِم َيِمِلا ّ ظلِل اَمَف اْوُ قْو ُ ذَف
Did We not give you an age in your life in which lesson could have
been learnt by the one who wished to take lesson? And [furthermore]
the warner had [also] come to you. So, have a taste, because the
wrongdoers will have no supporter.
31
My respected friend, wasting this time because of your friends and
loved ones is such a foolish mistake. Ponder on this and try to un-
derstand the importance of this matter. This frivolity and merriment
seem exciting, but at the time of death and after, one will be cursing
these a thousand times over. Try as much as possible to abstain from
such wasteful and petty pastimes:
101
ِهّ للا ِ ر ْ كِذ ْنَع ْم ُ كُدلْوَأ لَو ْم ُ كُلاَوْمَأ ْم ُ كِ هْ لُ ت ل
Your riches and your children must not divert you from the remem-
brance of Allah u.
32
Ponder upon this:
اًباَوَث َكّ ِبَر َدْنِع ٌرْيَخ ُتاَحِلاّصلا ُتاَيِقاَبْلاَو اَيْنّدلا ِةاَيَحْلا ُ ةَني ِ ز َنوُنَبْلاَو ُ لاَمْلا
لَمَأ ٌرْيَخَو
Wealth and children are the embellishment of the worldly life, and the
everlasting virtues are better with your Lord, both in rewards and in
creating good hopes.
33
Do not ignore these ayas. This period of youth and good health are
great blessings that you must not allow to go to waste. Every second
is an opportunity for you to return to Allah u. If you don’t care
about any of this, then it is your own loss. Do not waste these pre-
cious moments and do not allow heedlessness to grow in the city of
your soul:
ُ غاَرَ فْلا َو ُ ةّحّصلَ ا ِ ساّنلا َنِم ٌرْيِثَ ك اَمِ هْيِف ٌنْوُبْ غَم ِ ناَ تَمْعِن
‘Two blessings of Allah u in which many people are at a loss: health
and freetime.
34
’
Value this time and continue with the inhalatant-exhalant exercise
[pós anfós—inhaling with the name of Allah u and exhaling with
hu] until it becomes involuntary, the heart remembers Allah u per-
petually and the path of Sulñk is traversed.
35
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@
IBN TAIMIYYA, IBN QAYYIM AND TAýAWWUF
The spiritual masters have articulated in their writings that the only ob-
jective of this path is attaining iúsān. The different exercises and tedious
devotions which the sufis designed are for sicknesses of the heart. It is
similar to the various sicknesses and diseases of the physical body which
physicians and traditional healers seek to cure by prescribing new medica-
tions. Just as no one calls their latest treatments innovations, likewise it
is our misunderstanding of this field to call the treatments of the sufis
innovations. They are not objectives, but treatments for specific illnesses
of the heart.
Ibn Taimiyya wrote extensively on the actions of the heart in his book-
let, al-Tuúfat al-‘Iróqiyya fi al-A‘mól al-Qalbiyya. He says:
These few words elucidate the actions of the heart which are called
temporal spiritual states and perpetual spiritual states. They are the
pillars and foundation of Dõn, such as: love for Allah u and his
Blessed Prophet s, dependence on Allah u [tawakkul ], sincerity,
gratitude [shukr], patience [üabr], fear of Allah u [khauf ], hope in
Allah u [rajó] etc. The attainment of all these attributes is obliga-
tory upon the community; and there is no difference of opinion in
this matter.
There are three types of people in relation to the inner qualities
as there are three types in relation to the actions of the physical body:
1 The transgressor [þólim]
2 The moderate [muqtaüid]
3 The exceller in good [sóbiq bi al-khairót]
The transgressor is one who neglects the orders of Allah u and
commits forbidden acts. The moderate is one who fulfills the orders
of Allah u and avoids forbidden acts. The exceller is one who strives
to his utmost to gain nearness to Allah u. He is not content with
fulfilling the necessary acts and avoiding the forbidden acts only, but
also strives to perform all the Sunnas and desirables and to avoid all
the undesirables. Though the exceller commits sins, he is forgiven
either by repentance, good deeds, or trials and tribulations. Both the
moderate and the exceller are amongst the friends of Allah u who
are mentioned in the following aya of the Qur’an:
103
َنْوُنَزْحَي ْمُه لَو ْمِ هْيَلَع ٌفْوَخ ل ِهّ للا َءاَيِلْوَأ ّنِإ لَأ
Listen, the friends of Allah u shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve.
36
Therefore, the believers and God-fearing are the friends of
Allah u. Then, the God-fearing are of two types: the general and
the special. The general are the moderates and the special are the
excellers in good.
After this, Ibn Taimiyya wrote a short treatise on the actions of the
heart. He wrote about truth and falsehood and that love of Allah u,
sincerity towards Him, reliance on Him, pleasing Him, and other ac-
tions of the heart of this kind are obligatory. He then talks at length
about reliance on Allah u, of the obligations of Dõn, and that love of
Allah u and love of the Blessed Prophet s are essential. Furthermore,
he talks about the one who loves Allah u, the attributes of those who
are loved by Him, and that the basis of love of Allah u is adherence
to His Dõn. He explains that hope and fear of Allah u are both the
substance of faith and narrates the sayings of the sufis and earlier sages
[qudamó] about the love of Allah u. One of the manifestations of the
love of Allah u is adherence to the Sunna of the Blessed Prophet s and
that adherence to the Blessed Prophet s will exoterically and esoterically
build love of Allah u. He talks about this last point in detail. It is a
book worth reading.
Ibn Qayyim, in al-Wóbil al-ýayyib min al-Kalóm al-ùayyib
37
, states the
conditions for being a mentor. One of them is that if a person wants to
make bai‘a with a mentor, he should first investigate whether the person
is amongst the people who lives in the remembrance of Allah u and is
not amongst the heedless ones. He should be strict on the Sunna, not a
follower of the self, and should be cautious in his matters. If such a spiri-
tual mentor is met, he should hold onto him tightly. He then narrates the
habit of Ibn Taimiyya that, “Once, I went to my mentor. He sat after
praying Fajr üalót, doing the dhikr of Allah u until midday. He said to
me, ‘This dhikr is my breakfast in the morning. If I do not eat this food I
will become weak; and I only avoid dhikr to give myself breath for dhikr
at another time.’”
Another one of Ibn Qayyim’s books, Madórij al-Sólikõn, is also on
Taüawwuf. It is a commentary of the classic text on Taüawwuf, Manózil
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al-Sólikõn, by Shaikh Abñ Ismaīl ‘Abd Allóh Harawõ ûanbalõ [1088 C.E.].
All the discussions in this book are on Taüawwuf. He writes:
Servitude of a human is divided into branches: the heart, the tongue,
and the other limbs. The essentials of the heart are: sincerity, reliance
on Allah u, love, patience, fear and hope, true and strong belief,
and purity of intention…It is the consensus of the community [in
general] that these actions of the heart are obligatory.
After this, he mentions the actions of the heart upon which the schol-
ars disagree:
Contentment [as opposed to patience which is obligatory] upon a
tribulation is disagreed upon as to whether it is obligatory [and in
this respect there are two opinions: the opinion of the jurists and the
opinion of the sufis]… and another thing upon which they disagree
is concentration [khushñ‘ ] in üalót. [Their disagreement is composed
of two opinions on whether the üalót will be repeated if one is over-
come by satanic whispers [waswós] in üalót].
He also talks about the two types of prohibitions [muúarramót]: dis-
belief and sin:
The example of disbelief is: doubtfulness, hypocrisy, paganism, etc.
Sins are of two types: major and minor. Major: ostentation, vanity,
arrogance, haughtiness, despair in the mercy of Allah u, to be fear-
less of the punishment of Allah u, to gain pleasure from seeing other
Muslims in anguish, to express one’s satisfaction at seeing a Muslim
in turmoil, to desire for the spread of promiscuity amongst Muslims,
to be jealous of Muslims, and other sins which are more heinous than
observable major sins like fornicating and drinking alcohol.
Without repentance to Allah u, the heart cannot be purified of
such spiritual evils. If one does not repent, the heart will be severely
corrupted, and when the heart is corrupted, the whole body in turn
will be corrupted. Purification of the heart precedes purification of
the body, and if the heart is not purified it will be deprived of every-
thing that is in a purified heart.
105
Ibn Qayyim speaks at length on this subject. We should know that the
spiritual masters of Taüawwuf put their students through spiritual exer-
tions to help them attain this purification of heart.
@
MORALS OF THE SUFI
Shaikh Mõratõ writes in his biography of Shaikh Rashõd Aúmad Gangohī,
Tadhkirat al-Rashõd, “I found a note in which Shaikh Gangohī had scrib-
bled something. He wrote it some time in his early years for some un-
known reason. He wrote:
ْمُهُ لاَح يَ لْعَْ لا ُمْلِعْلا َوُهَو ِ نْيِقَيْلا ُةّوُ ق َو اً َنِطاَب َو اًرِها َ ظ ِ نْيّدلا ُمْلِع ِةَيِفْوّصلا ُمْلِع
ُقّ ل َ خّ تل َ ا ِفّوَصّ تلا ُ ةَ قْيِقَح يَلاَعَ ت ِلا يَلِا ِ راَ قَ تْ فِْ لا ُماَوَدَو ِقَلْخَْ لا ُحَلْصِا
ُ قَلْخَ ا يَلاَعَ ت ِلا ِءا َ ضَر يِف ِدْبَعْلا ُنْوَ كَو ِةَداَرِْ لا ُبْلَسَو يَلاَعَ ت ِلا ِقَلْخَ اِب
اَم َو ٍ مْيِظَع ٍ قُ لُخ يَ لَعَل كّنِإ ِهِلْوَ قِب ُمَلّسلا َو ُةَلّصلا ِهْيَ لَع ُه ُ قُ لُخ َوُه اَم ِةَيِفْوّصلا
ُةاَراَدَمْلَ ا – ُرْبِكْلَ ا ُهّدِض ُع ُ ضاَوّ تلَ ا : ا َ ذ َ كَه ْمِ هِقَلْخَ ا ُ لْيِصْ فَ تَو ُثْيِدَحْلا ِهِب َدَرَو
َو ٍ ب َ ضَ غ ِكْرَ تَو ٍ نَسَح ٍ قُ لُخَو ٍ قْ فِ رِب ُ ةَ لَماَعُمْلَ ا – ِ قْل َ خْلا ِ نَع يَ ذَْ لا ُ لاَمَ تْحِا َو
ِ قْل َ خْلا ُ قْو ُ قُح ُمْيِدْ قَ توُه َو ِ قْل َ خْلا يَ لَع ِةَ قْ فّشلا ِطْرَ فِب ُراَ ثْيِْ لا َو ٌةاَساَوُمْلَ ا – ٍ ضْي َ غ
ُ ةَلْوُهّسلَ ا -ِةَرَشَبْلاَو ِهْجَوْلا ُ ةَ قَل َ ط َو ُوْ فَعْلَ ا -ُ زَواَجّ تلَ ا -ُةَوا َ خّسلَ ا – ِهِظْو ُ ظُح يَ لَع
ِ راَخّدِْ لا ُ كْرَ ت َو ٍ راَ تْ قِا َلِب ُ قاَ فْنِا – ِفّ ل َ كّ تلا َو ِفّسَعّ تلا ُ كْرَ ت - ِ بِناَجْلا ُنْيِلَو
ِ بْ تَعلا َو ِ لاَد ِ جْلا َو ِءاَرَمْلا ُ كْرَ ت -ُعَرَوْلَ ا – اَيْنّدلا َنِم ٍ رْيِسَيِب ٌ ةَعاَن َ قْلَ ا - ُ لّ كَوّ تلَ ا –
– ِدْهَعْلا ُءاَ فَو – ِهاَجْلاَو ِ لاَمْلا ُ كْرَ ت -ِدَسَحْلاَو ِدْ قِحْلاَو ّ لِغْلا ُ كْرَ ت -ّقَحِب ّ لِا
ُر ْ كُش – ِ راَي ْ غَْ لا ِ نَع ِةَلْزَعْلاَو ِ ناَوْخِْ لا َعَم ُقُ فاَوّ تلا َو ّداَوّ تلَ ا – ُةَءاَنِْ لَ ا – ُمْلِحْلَ ا
َنْيِمِلْسُمْلا ُ ل ْ ذَب – ِ مِعْنُمْلا
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ُبَدَ ا – ُهّ ل ُ ك ٌبَدَ ا ُفّوَصّ تلاَو ِقَلْخَْ لا يِف َنِطاَبْلاَو َرِها ّ ظلا ُبّ ذَهُي ْيِفْوّصل َ ا
ْيِصاَعَمْلا ُءَوْسَ ا ً ةَبْيَهَو ً لَلْجِاَو ًءاَيَح ُهاَوِس ْنّمَع ُضاَرْعِْ لَ ا ِةَيِلِْ لا ِة ِ ر ْ ضَحْلا
ِةَمْل ُ ظْلا ُبَبَس َو ِ سْ فّنلا ُثْيِدَح
[Translation] The science of the sufis is the esoteric, exoteric knowl-
edge of Dõn and strength of belief; and this is the greatest of sciences.
The way of the sufis is perfecting their morals and perpetual ab-
sorption in Allah u. The essence of Taüawwuf is to be embellished
with the meanings of the attributes [üifót] of Allah u [as humanly
as possible], to eliminate the will of the self, and have a perpetual
infatuation to please Allah u. The morals of the sufis are the same
as the Blessed Prophet’s s as mentioned in the Qur’an, ‘And you are
surely on an excellent standard of character.’
38
All that is mentioned
in the aúódõth is also inclusive of the morals of the sufis. Below is a
description of the morals of the sufis:
 To think lowly of oneself and this is the opposite of arrogance
 To be compassionate to the creation of Allah u and to
overlook the transgressions of the creation against oneself
 To treat others with kindness and warmth and to avoid
anger
 To sympathize with others and to prefer them over oneself
because of one’s overwhelming love for them; in essence, to
favor the rights of others over one’s own rights
 To be generous
 To forgive others and to overlook their mistakes
 To be sanguine and cheerful
 To be soft-spoken
 To avoid ostentation
 To spend without stinginess and to avoid overspending such
that one becomes needy
 Reliance on the Creator
 To be content with whatever little one possesses of the mate-
rial world
 To be austere
107
 To avoid arguments and altercations and to avoid criticizing
another unless it is with truth
 To avoid jealousy or hatred of another
 To fulfill promises
 Forbearance
 To have insight
 To love fellow Muslims and have good relations with them
and to avoid others
 To be grateful when someone does a favor
 To exhaust oneself for the good of other Muslims
The moral character [akhlóq] of the sufi is achieved through his pu-
rification of the inner and the outer and Taüawwuf is the name of
propriety. Propriety towards the Creator is turning away from every-
one but Him out of awe and fear of His might. The worst of sins is
to converse with the lower self [úadõth al-nafs], as it spreads darkness
over the heart.
@
ENDNOTES
1 The six spiritual essences of the soul occupy different locations on the physical body.
The Naqshbandiyya teach meditation of the name of Allah u in the six essences.
After considerable time and practice, the six essences are rejuvenated with the
remembrance of Allah u. This may, at times, result in involuntary and unprovoked
pulsation of the body. This pulsation is the dhikr of the physical body which has
been infused with the constant remembrance of Allah u and is being described as
“turning like the spinning wheel.”
2 Arwóú-e-Thalótha, p. 299
3 11:5
4 Aúmad ibn ‘Abd al-Aúad Sarhindõ [971/1034]—His title was ‘Mujaddid Alf-e-Thónõ’
[Reviver of the Second Millenium]. His reformist nature began to show at an early
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stage in his life. After mastering the Islamic sciences at the age of seventeen, he wrote
two books, both of which quelled the two controversies that was dividing Muslims
at the time. The first was on the proof of prophethood and the second against the
dominating minority, the twelver Shiites. After his father passed away, he travelled
to Delhi and made bai’a with the shaikh of the Naqshbandiyya path, Khawója Bóqõ
Billa. His mentor, granted him successorship soon after, and informed him of the
[perpetual] spiritual states he will achieve in life.
His most famous work is his collection of letters, the Maktñbót, to his spiritual
students in three volumes. These letters became the catalyst which helped secure the
place of Islam in the Indian subcontinent saving it from obliteration.
In these letters, the shaikh reconstructed the theory of the divine existential
unity of Allah and the world [waúdat al-wujñd] into the concept of the unity of vision
[waúdat al shuhñd]. Through this, Shaikh Aúmad was able to save Taüawwuf from
the pseudo-Sufis who tried to create heresy through the sufistic concept of the divine
existential unity of Allah and the world. The letters also helped prepare the downfall
of the religion founded by the Moghul king, Akbar and his syncretistic tendencies
that became the cornerstone of his doctrine, ‘Dõn-i-Ilóhõ’ [Religion of God]. They
also broke the stranglehold of Shiite influence upon the subcontinent and revived
Sunni Islam. These letters, in other words, sum up the life and struggle of Shaikh
Aúmad Sirhindõ against the unrelenting forces that threatened to wipe out Islam in
the Indian subcontinent; and this is precisely why he is called ‘Reviver of the Second
Millenium.’ [ See ûaðrat Mujaddid Alf-e-Thānī, Sayyid Zawwār ûussain Shāh]
5 9:72
6 A political party in India at the time
7 This refers to an incident that took place in the early years of Shaikh Zakariyyó’s
life. Shaikh ûabõb al-Raúmón once stopped over at Sahóranpñr to debate with
Shaikh Zakariyyó about Taüawwuf. He asked, “I have a quick question. You can
chew over it and save the answer for when I return from Raipñr. What is this thing
called Taüawwuf?” Shaikh Zakariyyó responded spontaneously, “It begins with ‘all
actions are based on intentions’ and ends with attainment of iúsón.” Shaikh ûabõb
stood dumbfounded for a few seconds then finally said, “I had come prepared with
many arguments that if you say this I will say such and such and if you say that, I
will say this, but your answer has left me dumbstruck.” Shaikh Zakariyyó replied,
“you can spend your whole life searching for an answer, but I assure you that you
won’t find one.”
8 Autobiography of Shaikh Zakariyyó
9 The path of friendship [with Allah u] and the path of prophethood are two
different spiritual programs for achieving iúsón. Both the path of friendship and
prophethood require strict adherence to the Shari‘a, the main difference being that
the path of friendship also incorporates spiritual exertions and devotions into its
program. Though, most people are taken through the path of friendship, some who
are not suited to this path are taken through the path of prophethood. An example
of this is given in the chapter on visualization of the mentor.
10 6:79
109
11 Maktñbót Khówaja Muúammad Ma‘üñm, p. 121
12 A Sufi who was condemned and executed for saying, “Ana al-ûaqq,” though it was
uttered in a spiritually intoxicated state.
13 ôp Bõtõ, 5/197
14 Ibid, 5/198
15 Maktñbót Khawója Muúammad Ma‘üñm, p. 174
16 Ibid, p. 290
17 The ruling is that if one uses water to gain coolness from hot weather he may use as
much water as necessary to gain coolness. But if he is bathing he may not use more
than the amount required in Shari’a and any water used over the required amount
will be considered wasteful.
18 A disparaging epithet used for the rank and file graduates of Islamic studies in the
Indian subcontinent.
19 Bukhórõ, idhó Bó‘ al-Wakõl
20 23:2
21 Mustadrak, li Man Shi’tu min khalqõ
22 A complicated book written on the deeper meanings of Taüawwuf by Sayyid Shah
Ismó’õl Shahõd
23 A book on Taüawwuf by Shaikh Rashõd Aúmad Gangohõ. Most shaikhs advise their
successors to read and review Imdód al-Sulñk periodically.
24 Maktñbót Shaikh al-Islóm 3/66
25 Maktñbót Shaikh al-Islóm 3/168, Letter # 57
26 Maktñbót Shaikh al-Islóm 3/168, Letter # 57
27 42: 27
28 21:35
29 7:168
30 Maktñbót Shaikh al-Islóm 3/59, p. 129
31 35:37
32 63:9
33 18:46
34 Bukhórõ, ló ‘Aisha illó ‘Aishat al-ôkhira
35 Maktñbót Shaikh al-Islóm 72/188, p. 48
36 10: 62
37 This work is about the dhikr and temporal spiritual states of the Sufis.
38 68: 4
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110
_
Chapter Nine
Bai‘a
@
THE SUNNA OF BAI‘A
People raise objections to many practices of the sufis. One of them is
taking of bai‘ a, even though bai‘a is not even necessary in the view of
the sufis, as I will mention later. However, the practice of taking bai‘a
is deeply rooted in the Qur’an and the Sunna. In Sñrat al-Mumtaúina,
Allah u says:
لَو اً ئْيَش ِهّ للاِب َن ْ كِ رْشُي ل ْنَأ ىَلَع َكَنْعِياَبُي ُتاَنِمْؤُمْلا َ كَءاَج اَ ذِإ ّيِبّنلا اَهّيَأ اَي
ّنِ هيِدْيَأ َنْيَب ُهَني ِ رَتْ فَي ٍ ناَتْهُبِب َيِت ْ أَي لَو ّنُهَدلْوَأ َنْ ل ُ تْ قَي لَو َيِنْزَي لَو َنْ ق ِ رْسَي
ٌروُ فَ غ َهّ للا ّنِإ َهّ للا ّنُهَل ْرِفْ غَتْساَو ّنُهْعِياَبَف ٍفوُرْعَم يِف َكَنيِصْعَي لَو ّنِ هِلُجْرَأَو
ٌميِحَر
O you who believe, when the believing women come to you, seeking
bai‘a with you that they will not ascribe any partner to Allah u, and
will not commit theft, and will not commit fornication, and will not
kill their children, and will not come up with a false claim [about
the parentage of a child] that they falsely attribute [to the sperms of
their husbands being dropped] between their hands and their feet [i.e.
their private parts], and will not disobey you in what is recognized [in
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Shari‘a] then take them in your bai‘a, and pray Allah u for their
forgiveness. Surely, Allah u is Most-Forgiving, Very-Merciful.
1
In the commentary, Shaikh Ashraf ‘Alõ Thānwī writes:
This aya is clear proof of bai‘a and a repudiation of the ritual bai‘a
that is bereft of any desire to perform good deeds.
It says in a hadith of Bukhórõ:
َ لوُسَر ّنَ أ ِةَب َ قَعْلا َ ةَ لْيَل ِءاَب َ قّنلا ُدَحَ أ َوُهَو اًرْدَب َدِ هَش َناَ كَو ٍتِماَص ِ نْب َةَداَبُع ْنَع
َ ل ْنَ أ ىَ لَع يِنوُعِياَب ِهِباَحْصَ أ ْنِم ٌ ةَباَصِع ُهَلْوَحَو َ لاَ ق ملسو هيلع لا ىلص ِلا
ٍ ناَ تْهُبِب اوَ ت ْ أَ ت َ لَو ْمُ كَدَ لْوَ أ اوُ ل ُ تْ قَ ت َ لَو اوُ نْزَ ت َ لَو اوُ قِ رْسَ ت َ لَو اً ئْيَش ِلاِب او ُ كِ رْشُ ت
ُهُرْجَ أَ ف ْم ُ كْنِم ىَ فَو ْنَمَ ف ٍفوُرْعَم يِف اوُصْعَ ت َ لَو ْم ُ كِلُجْرَ أَو ْم ُ كيِدْيَ أ َنْيَب ُهَنوُرَ تْ فَ ت
ْنَمَو ُهَل ٌةَراّ فَ ك َوُهَ ف اَيْنّدلا يِف َبِقوُعَ ف اً ئْيَش َكِل َ ذ ْنِم َباَصَ أ ْنَمَو ،ِلا ىَ لَع
َءاَش ْنِإَو ُهْنَع اَ فَع َءاَش ْنِإ ،ِلا ىَلِإ َوُهَ ف ،ُ لا هَرَ تَس ّمُ ث اً ئْيَش َكِل َ ذ نِم َباَصَ أ
َكِل َ ذ ىَ لَع ُهاَنْعَياَبَ ف ُهَبَ قاَع
‘Ubóda ibn ýómit g who participated in the battle of Badr and was
one of the leaders in the night of ‘Aqaba, narrates that once when the
Companions l gathered by him the Blessed Prophet s said:
Come, take bai‘a with me upon the belief that you will not
equate anything with Allah u, will not steal, fornicate, or
murder your own children, and that you will not accuse any-
one of anything and will not stand against one who speaks
the truth. Whosoever fulfills this bai‘a will receive the reward
from Allah u and whosoever commits anyone of these will
taste retribution in this world. This punishment in the world
will be atonement for his sin. And if Allah u hides his sin,
He may forgive or punish in the Hereafter. This is Allah's u
discretion.
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‘Ubóda g says, “We took bai‘a with the Blessed Prophet s on these
deeds.”
2
This bai‘a was not the bai‘a of Islam or the bai‘a to struggle
in the path of Allah u, but the bai‘a made by the sufis to emphasize
practicing upon the tenets and commandments of Islam.
Shāh Walõ Allah u Dehlawõ wrote extensively in his book al-Qaul
al-Jamõl [later translated into Shifó’ al-‘Alõl ]. He says:
Allah u said:
Those who pledge allegiance with you [by placing their hands in your
hands] they, in fact, pledge allegiance with Allah u. Allah’s u
hand is over their hands. Then, whoever breaks his pledge breaks it
to his own detriment, and whoever fulfills the covenant he has made
with Allah u, He will give him a great reward.
3
It is also stated in the well-known aúódõth [mashhñr] that the
Companions l sometimes made bai‘a to the Blessed Prophet s
upon migration; upon struggling in the path of Allah u; upon ad-
herence to the pillars of Islam like üalót, fasting, haj, zakót; upon
steadfastness in the battlefield against the disbelievers as in the bai‘a
of Riðwón; upon adherence to the Sunnas of the Blessed Prophet s;
to save against innovations and to passionately perform good deeds.
Therefore, it is mentioned in an authentic hadith that the women
of the Helpers took bai‘a with the Blessed Prophet s to cease the
custom of wailing in funerals.
In the narration of Ibn Mója, it is mentioned that some poor
Emigrants took bai‘a with the Blessed Prophet s to avoid asking
anything from anyone. By the blessings of this bai‘a if anything [even
a whip] fell from their mount, they dismounted to retrieve it them-
selves and refused to take anyone’s help. And this much is known
that when the Blessed Prophet s did anything as an act of worship
and not by nature, it is categorized as a proper Sunna. Once this is
understood we should ask ourselves as to which category does this
type of bai‘a fall under? Now, some people believe that bai‘a is for
when someone is chosen as the caliph and sultan and that the bai‘a
of the sufis holds no meaning in the Shari‘a. But we know this to be
false because of the previous narrations that the Blessed Prophet s
113
sometimes took bai‘a to establish the pillars of Islam while at other
times for adherence to the Sunnas. Even the hadith of Bukhórõ proves
this; namely that the Blessed Prophet s stipulated to Jarõr g in the
bai‘a that he would be kind and loving toward all Muslims.
The Helpers took bai‘a with the Blessed Prophet s to never
be concerned with the criticism of people in matters of Dõn and
to speak the truth wherever they may be. Therefore, some of them
were fearless in publicly criticizing and rejecting the ruthless gover-
nors and amirs when they did wrong. The Blessed Prophet s also
took bai‘a from the women of the Helpers to abstain from wailing
in funerals. Bai‘a is a fact that is proven in many other matters also,
many of them relating to purification of the heart, and enjoining
the good and forbidding the evil. This method of bai‘a was discon-
tinued during the reign of the sultans from fear of repercussions
from the sultans. During that time, the sufis resorted to distribut-
ing patched pieces of cloth [kharqa] to the seekers and when the
custom of bai‘a died out amongst the sultans, the sufis revived the
Sunna of bai‘a.
After this, Shāh Walõ Allóh begins a new chapter about whether bai‘a
is necessary or Sunna. The Companions l made bai‘a with the Blessed
Prophet s and used it as a means to gain closeness to Allah u. There is
no evidence as to whether one who does not make bai‘a is sinful or that
any of the pious predecessors reprimanded one who did not make the bai‘a.
Shāh Walõ Allóh writes in al-Qaul al-Jamõl:
The bai‘a that is customary amongst the sufis is of many kinds. The
first kind is in which one repents for all past sins. Another kind is
when one makes bai‘a to gain blessings from the line of the sufis
[amongst whom he is making bai‘a]. This is similar to the blessings
gained by belonging to a chain of transmission of aúódõth as that also
carries blessings. The third kind of bai‘a is to purify the intention
to achieve total sincerity towards Allah u and to prevent oneself
from committing evil deeds of the heart and body, and to establish a
relationship with Allah u. This is the main bai‘a while the previous
two are forms of worship. Fulfillment of the third bai‘a means to be
steadfast upon abstinence from sins, to struggle against the lower self
in order to perform good deeds, and to engage in spiritual exercises
that discipline the lower self against shirking from good deeds until
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one is infused with the effervescent light of tranquility [iømi’nón],
which eventually becomes his nature.
In al-Takashshuf, Shaikh Thānwī writes:
َ لاَ قَ ف ً ةَعْبَس ْوَ أ ً ةَيِناَمَ ث ْوَ أ ً ةَعْسِت -ملسو هيلع لا ىلص- ِهّللا ِ لوُسَر َدْنِع اّن ُ ك
.ِهّللا َ لوُسَر اَي َ كاَنْعَياَب ْدَ ق اَنْل ُ قَ ف ٍةَعْيَبِب ٍدْهَع َثيِدَح اّن ُ كَو ِهّللا َ لوُسَر َنوُعِياَبُ ت َ لَ أ
َنوُعِياَبُ ت َ لَ أ َ لاَ ق ّمُ ث .ِهّللا َ لوُسَر اَي َ كاَنْعَياَب ْدَ ق اَنْل ُ قَ ف ِهّللا َ لوُسَر َنوُعِياَبُ ت َ لَ أ َ لاَ ق ّمُ ث
َ لاَ ق َكُعِياَبُ ن َمَلَعَ ف ِهّللا َ لوُسَر اَي َ كاَنْعَياَب ْدَ ق اَنْ ل ُ قَو اَنَيِدْيَ أ اَن ْ طَسَبَ ف َ لاَ ق ِهّللا َ لوُسَر
ّرَسَ أَو - اوُعيِطُ تَو ِ سْم َ خْلا ِتاَوَ لّصلاَو اً ئْيَش ِهِب او ُ كِ رْشُ ت َ لَو َهّللا اوُدُبْعَ ت ْنَ أ ىَ لَع
ُ طُ قْسَي ِ رَ فّنلا َكِئَلوُ أ َضْعَب ُتْيَ أَر ْدَ قَ لَ ف اً ئْيَش َساّنلا اوُ ل َ أْسَ ت َ لَو - ً ةّيِفَخ ً ةَمِل َ ك
ُهاّيِإ ُهُ ل ِ واَنُي اًدَحَ أ ُ لَ أْسَي اَمَ ف ْمِهِدَحَ أ ُ طْوَس
Auf ibn Mólik Ashja‘õ g narrates:
Once we were sitting with the Blessed Prophet s. We were nine, eight,
or seven men. The Blessed Prophet s said, ‘Are you not going to make
bai‘a with the Prophet?’ We stretched out our hands and said, ‘What
should we take bai‘a upon?’ ‘That you will worship Allah u alone, you
will not associate with Allah u, you will pray all five üalóts, and will
listen and follow upon all the commandments.’ Then he said quietly,
‘And that you will never ask anyone for anything.’
The narrator says, “I observed some of them that if a whip acciden-
tally fell from their mount, they would not ask someone to pick it up
and return it to them.”
4
Note: The bai‘a of the sufis is of the kind in which one makes firm
intention to adhere to the obligations of the Dõn, and to be persis-
tent on the good deeds of the heart and body. In common parlance,
this bai‘a is called the bai‘a of Taüawwuf. Some of the Literalists
[Ahl al-Ẓóhir] say it is an innovation because there is no evidence
115
of it in the Sunna of the Blessed Prophet s and that the only type
proven in the Sunna is the bai‘a of struggling in the path of Allah u
or upon embracing Islam. However, the bai‘a of the sufis is clearly
proven in the aforementioned hadith because it was performed by
the Companions l, so it surely was not bai‘a upon embracing Islam.
If it was, it would mean performing bai‘a on something already at-
tained. Likewise, this could not be bai‘a for struggling in the path of
Allah u because the words clearly emphasize the importance of per-
forming good deeds. Thus, the objective is made clear.
The majority of elders most often instruct the newly initiated in
private because such instructions are usually beyond the comprehen-
sion of the general public. Thus, if it was ever made public it would
result in disorder. Instructing in private is beneficial because it gives
the seeker undivided attention and shows consideration toward him,
which in turn engenders love in his heart [for his spiritual mentor]. It
also warns others not to follow instructions prescribed for him since
they [other seekers] require instructions that correspond to their own
specific conditions. This method of private instruction is proven in
the aforementioned aúódõth. Furthermore, most seekers are naturally
inclined to become extremely literal in understanding the instruc-
tions of their spiritual mentors. They might take both the literal as
well as the actual meaning of their mentor’s words.
The presence of this trait [in a seeker] is confirmed in the afore-
mentioned hadith because the Blessed Prophet s only intended to
stop them from becoming dependent on others [by begging and ask-
ing from others], not that they were prohibited from taking help for
their own things. However, since the possibility of the literal mean-
ing existed [that they not even ask for their own thing from anyone],
the Companions l were not wrong to think that they should not
ask for their own thing from anyone either. In one hadith, it is nar-
rated that once the Blessed Prophet s told everyone to sit down dur-
ing a sermon. One of the Companions l who was walking through
the doorway at the time sat down where he was. It is clear from
the hadith that the Blessed Prophet s did not intend for him to sit
where he was but that everybody should come into the masjid and
nobody should be left standing.
This is the type of love for the mentor that is absolutely essential in
order for a seeker to derive spiritual benefit from his shaikh. After this
Bai‘a
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hadith, Shaikh Thānwī narrates ‘Ubóda’s g hadith as has been narrated
above. One of the other points he makes regarding this hadith is that the
hadith clearly states that the people who were ordered to take bai‘a with
the Blessed Prophet s were all Companions l which proves that aside
from the bai‘a for struggling in the path of Allah u and embracing Islam,
the Blessed Prophet s also took bai‘a for shunning evil deeds and staying
firm upon good deeds. This is the same bai‘a that is called the bai‘a of
Taüawwuf that is customary among the sufis. Therefore, rejection of this
bai‘a is foolishness.
Another point made clear from the two aforementioned aúódõth is that
it is permissible for a mentor to order his seeker to take bai‘a with him for
specific reasons. My relative, the respected Shaikh Yñsuf Kóndhelwī col-
lected many excellent aúódõth in the chapter of bai‘a in his book ûayót al-
ýahóba. This book contains a chapter on bai‘a for struggling in the path of
Allah u, a chapter on bai‘a of Islam, and an entire chapter titled ‘bai‘a on
the deeds of Islam.’ The narrations, their references, and chains of trans-
mission are extremely long; we will suffice here with a few short narrations.
For more narrations and their references, one may look in ûayót al-ýahóba.
@
NARRATIONS ABOUT BAI‘A
Bashõr ibn Khaüóüiyya says, “I came to make bai‘a with the Blessed
Prophet s. I asked him, ‘What things should I take bai‘a with you upon?’
The Blessed Prophet s stretched out his hands and said, ‘Bear witness that
there is no God besides Allah u and that Muúammad s is His servant
and Prophet, that you will pray five times üalót in their respective times,
pay the zakót, fast in the month of Ramadan, perform Haj, and go out in
the path of Allah u.’ He said, ‘O Blessed Prophet s, I can do everything
but two things. Firstly, I cannot pay zakót because I own only ten camels
which I use as mounts and to provide milk for my family. Secondly, I can-
not go in the path of Allah u because I am weak-hearted and people say
whoever runs away while in the path of Allah u will face the wrath of
Allah u. I fear that if I go in the path of Allah u, I will run away and
face the wrath of Allah u.’ The Blessed Prophet s pulled back his hands
and said, gesturing, ‘O Bashõr, when there is neither zakót nor struggle
in the path of Allah u then how do you expect to enter Paradise?’ I said,
‘O Blessed Prophet s, okay, spread your hands I will take bai‘a with you.’
117
Then, the Blessed Prophet s spread out his hands and I took bai‘a with
him upon the aforementioned deeds.”
5
Jarõr g narrates, “I made bai‘a with the Blessed Prophet s to estab-
lish üalót, pay zakót, and always be good with all Muslims.”
6
In another
narration the Blessed Prophet s said, “O Jarõr! Spread out your hands.”
I asked him, “For what O Blessed Prophet s?” “Upon adhering to all
the commandments of Allah u and to be good to all Muslims.” Jarõr g
listened carefully to the Blessed Prophet s and [being farsighted] finally
said, “I will do whatever is within my capacity, O Blessed Prophet s.”
7
Af-
ter this, anyone who took bai‘a found latitude [in fulfillment of the bai‘a]
with the words, “I will do whatever is within my capacity.”
Abñ Amóma g says the Blessed Prophet s said “Is there anyone
wanting to take bai‘a with me?” Thaubón g said, “We will take bai‘a
with you.” The Blessed Prophet s accepted his bai‘a upon the pledge to
never ask anything from anybody. Thaubón g asked, “What will the
person who fulfills this bai‘a get?” The Blessed Prophet s replied, “Para-
dise.” Then, Thaubón g took bai‘a with the Blessed Prophet s. Abñ
Amóma g says, “I saw his whip fall from his hand when he was in a large
gathering. Sometimes, it happened that it fell on a person’s shoulder and
the man would stand up to give it to him, but he would refuse to take it.
Instead, he would dismount and pick it up himself.”
8
The narration of Abñ Dharr g is narrated with various chains of
transmission. He says, “I made bai‘a with the Blessed Prophet s on five
different occasions that I would not fear the criticism of any person in ful-
filling the rights of Allah u.” In another hadith, the Blessed Prophet s
said to Abñ Dharr g, “Wait for six days and come to me on the seventh
and I will tell you something. Make sure you understand what I say to you
properly.” On the seventh day, the Blessed Prophet s said, “First, I advise
you to fear Allah u, when you are alone or in a gathering; whenever you
commit a bad deed immediately eliminate it with a good deed, do not ask
anyone for anything even if your whip falls, and do not safeguard anyone’s
possessions.”
9
Bai‘a
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118
@
ENDNOTES
1 60: 12
2 Bukhórõ, ‘Alómat al-ömón ûubb al-Anüór
3 48:10
4 Muslim, Karóhat al-Mas’ala li al-Nós
5 Musnad Aúmad, ûadõth Bashõr ibn Khaüóüiyya
6 Bukhórõ, al-Dõn al-Naüõúa
7 Bukhórõ, Kaifa Yubó‘ iyu al-Imóm [with slightly different wording]
8 al-Mu‘ jim al-Kabõr, 7/229
9 Musnad Aúmad, ûadõth Abõ Dharr
119
_
Chapter Ten
Spiritual Exertions were Unnecessary
in the Time of the Blessed Prophet s
@
EFFECTS OF THE COMPANY OF THE BLESSED PROPHET s
In the time of the Blessed Prophet s, his blessed company was suffi-
cient to produce the state of iúsān. This is understood from the books of
the earlier and later scholars. However, as time passed and the light of the
enlightened period decreased, the hearts of Muslims became enveloped
in the darkness of evils. In Tirmidhõ, Anas g narrates that everything
in Madina was filled with light [nñr] the day the Blessed Prophet s en-
tered the city and full of darkness the day he passed away: “We did not
even brush the dirt from our hands after burying the Blessed Prophet s
that we felt a change in our hearts.”
1
ûanþala g says:
I came out from my house and met Abñ Bakr g. He asked me, ‘O
ûanþala, how are you doing?’ I said, ‘ûanþala is a hypocrite.’ He
exclaimed, ‘What are you saying, O ûanþala?’ I said, ‘When we
are sitting with the Blessed Prophet s and he is talking about Par-
adise and Hellfire, it is as if we are witnessing it. However, when
we leave his presence and return to our families and are busy in our
work, we forget everything.’ Abñ Bakr g said, ‘I swear by Allah u,
I feel the exact same way.’ Then Abñ Bakr and I both came
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to the Blessed Prophet s and I said, ‘O Blessed Prophet s,
ûanþala g has become a hypocrite.’ He said, ‘What are you say-
ing?’ Then I explained our situation to him. He replied, ‘I swear by
the One in whose hands is my life, if you remain in the same state
as when you are with me and are perpetually in the remembrance of
Allah u [fi al-dhikr], the angels would shake hands with you in
your beds and on the pathways, but ûanþala, this is from time to
time only,’ and then he said three times, ‘A person never remains
in the same state.’
2
The state mentioned in this hadith is reference to the state of perpetual
awareness of Allah u. It is much the same with the seekers that they
sometimes achieve spiritual states while in the company of their mentors
but lose it once they leave their company. The word dhikr used in the
above hadith includes the gatherings of dhikr. Frequent dhikr helps in at-
taining the level of iúsān while abundant dhikr can even substitute for the
blessed company of one’s mentor.
It is mentioned in al-Takashshuf that Abñ ùalúa Anüórõ g was once
praying üalót in his garden when he saw a bird f luttering about, un-
able to free itself from the entwined branches. Abñ ùalúa g stared at
it fixedly, amazed that even a bird could not free itself from his lush
garden. When he returned his attention to üalót, he realized he had
forgotten how many units he had prayed. He said to himself, “I have
been put in difficulty because of my land.” Thereafter, he came to
the Blessed Prophet s, explained the entire matter and then said, “O
Blessed Prophet s, I give this garden in the path of Allah u. Spend it
wherever you wish.”
3
Note: One of the many practices of the sufis is to be vigilant of the
heart and to make amends when the heart is forgetful of the remem-
brance of Allah u. The excellence of this practice is understood by the
Companions l act and the Blessed Prophet’s s approval. It was his
vigilance toward his heart which resulted in his giving away the garden
to the Blessed Prophet s.
Hatred toward anything that diverts one’s attention away from
Allah u is called ghaira which is a beautiful quality for a Muslim to have.
One will read in the anecdotes of the friends of Allah u that they con-
fiscated anything from the seekers that made them forgetful of Allah u.
The evidence for this is found in the abovementioned hadith. The
121
Blessed Prophet s approved the [spiritual] treatment the Companion l
prescribed for himself. In hadith terminology, the tacit approval of an act
by the Blessed Prophet s is called an acknowledgement [taqrõr].
@
INCIDENTS FROM THE LIVES OF THE COMPANIONS l
Another incident which occurred during the caliphate of ‘Uthman g is
narrated in the Muwaøøa’. One of the Companions l from amongst the
Helpers was once praying üalót in his garden. The dates had ripened and
were hanging in clusters on the date-palm trees. He took side glances at the
clusters and his heart became distracted by thoughts of the garden. When
his attention returned to üalót, he realized he could not remember how
many units he had prayed. He said to himself, “I have been put in confu-
sion because of this garden,” and came to ‘Uthman g. He narrated the
whole incident to the caliph and said, “This garden of mine is a charity in
the path of Allah u, spend it wherever you wish.” ‘Uthman g took the
garden and sold it for fifty thousand dinars. He named the garden kham-
sõn, and gave away all the money in charity.
4
Not hundreds but thousands of such incidents are narrated in the bi-
ographies of the Companions l proving that they reached the level of
iúsān without any specific practices or exhaustive exercises. Shāh Walõ
Allóh Dehlawõ wrote in his commentary of the Muwaøøa’, “These inci-
dents are manifestations of the nisba after it develops in the heart. They
gave priority to the worship of Allah u over everything and felt ghaira
in keeping in their ownership anything that distracted them from Him.”
Abñ al-Walõd Bójõ says, “There are very few such incidents where the
Companions g attention was diverted while performing worship but if it
ever happened, they felt a burden on themselves [until they removed that
thing from their ownership].” What about us who are always forgetful of
Allah u in our üalót? May Allah u forgive all our mistakes.
In the fifth chapter of my book ûakayót al-ýahóba, there are many in-
cidents about the concentration of the Companions l in their üalót. One
of these stories is about ‘Abd Allóh ibn Zubair g who was once praying
üalót while his infant son Hóshim was lying next to him. A snake fell from
the roof onto Hóshim and he began to scream. People raised a hue and cry.
They ran for the child and killed the snake. In the meantime, ‘Abd Allóh
ibn Zubair g continued to pray his üalót peacefully. After he completed
the üalót, he asked, “I heard some noise?” His wife said, “May Allah u
Spiritual Exertions were Unnecessary in the Time of the Blessed Prophet s
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
122
have mercy on you, the child was about to lose his life and you didn’t even
know?” He replied, “Woe to you! If I was to divert my attention in üalót I
would be breaking my üalót.”
Many incidents of this kind are narrated in ûakayót al-ýahóba. What
need did the Companions l have for spiritual practices and exercises
when they already had reached the level of, ‘that you worship Allah u as
if you are seeing Him?’
My respected, Shaikh Yñsuf also narrated many incidents in his excel-
lent book ûayót al-ýaúóba under the chapter of ‘The reality of faith.’ The
first incident of this chapter begins with the story of ûórith ibn Mólik g
who was once praying üalót in the masjid. The Blessed Prophet s entered
the masjid and nudged him with his foot. ûórith g raised his head and
said, “May my mother and father be sacrificed for you, what is it O Blessed
Prophet s?” The Blessed Prophet s asked, “What condition did you
wake up in this morning?” He said, “O Blessed Prophet s, I woke up in
the state of being a believer.” The Blessed Prophet s asked, “What is the
reality of what you just said?” He replied, “I turned myself away from the
world, spent the whole day thirsty [fasting], and stayed awake the whole
night. I see the throne of my Creator and I also see the dwellers of Paradise
visiting each other and the dwellers of the Hellfire spiteful of each other.”
The Blessed Prophet s said, “You are a man whose heart Allah u has
enlightened. You have gnosis of Allah u.”
@
ENDNOTES
1 Ibn ûabbón, Wafótuhñ ýalla Allóh ‘Alaih wa Sallam | Ibn Mója, Dhikr Wafótihõ ýalla
Allóh ‘Alaih wa Sallam
2 Muslim, Faðl Dawóm al-Dhikr
3 Muwaøøa’, al-Naþar fi al-ýalóú
4 Ibid
123
__
Chapter Eleven
The Spiritual Exertions of the Sufis
@
SPIRITUAL REMEDIES TO HELP ATTAIN IûSôN
As Shaikh Rashid Aúmad Gangohī previously stated, one sitting with
the Blessed Prophet s was sufficient to produce the attribute of iúsān.
As the rift [in time] between the community and the Blessed Prophet s
grew, the attainment of iúsān became a difficult aspiration, and the sufis
were required to devise spiritual remedies to help acquire it.
In Shifó al-‘Alõl [translation of al-Qaul al-Jamõl ], Shaikh Nawób Qutb
al-Dõn comments:
By his unparalleled examination of the subject and his passionate
discussions, the author [Shóh Walõ Allóh Dehlawõ] has removed the
objections of the feebleminded. Some say that since the methods and
exercises of the Qódiriyya, Chishtiyya, and Naqshbandiyya paths are
nowhere to be seen in the time of the Companions l or First Suc-
cessors, therefore they are evil innovations. The summary of his re-
sponse is simple. The reason spiritual mentors devised these methods
was to attain a quality that existed in the time of the prophethood.
However, the method of attaining this quality [of iúsān] changed
with the times. Thus, the masters of Taüawwuf did not deviate from
the Shari‘a. Just as the four imams established certain principles for
deriving legal rulings from the exoteric of the Shari‘a, likewise the
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124
masters of Taüawwuf established certain principles to derive from the
esoteric of the Shari‘a which became known as Taüawwuf. How can
this be called an evil innovation? What a ridiculous claim. Though
this much can be said that the Companions l were not in need of
such exercises because they acquired the quality of iúsón from the
Blessed Prophet s himself. The people after them, however, were
required to devise certain exercises to attain iúsān because of the dis-
tance in time between the Blessed Prophet s and them. It is similar
to how the Companions l did not need Arabic syntax or Arabic
morphology to understand the Qur’an while non-Arabs and the Ar-
abs of today cannot understand the Qur’an without these sciences.
Nawób Qutb al-Dõn Khón Dehlawõ explains with an example in his
footnotes on al-Qaul al-Jamõl. He writes:
When the sun rises a person can read without the need of artifi-
cial light; but when it sets, one is in need of artificial light. In the
time of the Companions l, it was as if the sun was out; they
weren’t forced to perform certain exercises to achieve conscious-
ness of Allah u. This was achieved by one sitting with the Blessed
Prophet s, a beautiful quality that cannot be achieved in many
months in our times. Now, as the sun has set, certain exercises are
required to achieve iúsān.
After this, Shāh Walõ Allóh says:
I heard from my blessed father who often mentioned seeing ‘Alõ g,
ûasan g, and ûussain g in his dream. ‘I asked ‘Alõ g, is our nisba
the same as yours in the time of the Blessed Prophet s?’ ‘Alõ g
asked me to go into a state of absorption. After meditating for some
time, he said, ‘It is the same without any difference.’
1
@
SPIRITUAL STATES
Then one should know that whoever maintains this nisba will reach lofty
states. Sometimes he will reach one type while at other times another.
One should appreciate these ethereal states and know that such temporal
125
spiritual states are signs of the acceptance of one’s good deeds. One of
these temporal spiritual states is to be steadfast in performing good deeds,
giving priority of the commandments of Allah u over all other things
and being diligent in this matter. Therefore, Imam Mólik narrated in his
Muwaøøa’ from ‘Abd Allóh ibn Bakr that Abñ Abñ ùalúa Anüórõ g would
pray üalót in his garden [this incident has already past]. After this he says,
“The story of Sulaimān e mentioned in the aya:
ِقاَنْعَْ لا َو ِقْوّسلاِب اًحْسَم َقِفَ طَف
And he started passing his hands over the necks and hamstrings [of
the horses].
2
is a well-known incident.”
Shaikh Nawób Qutb al-Dõn writes:
In brief, what happened was that once Sulaīmān e became so busy
inspecting his horses that the sun set and he missed his ‘Aür üalót.
Sulaimān e ordered, ‘Cut the necks and hamstrings of the horses.’
In essence, following the commandments of Allah u supersedes
everything else for the righteous. If anything impedes the path of fulfill-
ing the commandments of Allah u, the ghaira [towards Allah u] of
the righteous ones begs that it be removed immediately. Therefore, Abñ
ùalúa Anüórõ g gave away his beautiful garden and Sulaimān e cut
down his horses.
In Bayón al-Qur’an, Shaikh Thānwõ writes under the aya:
قاَنْعَْ لا َو ِقْوّسلاِب اًحْسَم َقِفَ طَف
And he started passing his hands over the necks and hamstrings [of
the horses].
3
This incident is worth remembering. When the robust horses that
were trained in the path of Allah u were presented to him he be-
came so engrossed in their inspection that he didn’t realize the day
was over. He missed some of his daily routine of voluntary üalóts
The Spiritual Exertions of the Sufs
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
126
[narration of ‘Alõ g in al-Durr al-Manthñr]. Though his servants
knew his routine, none had the courage to bring it to his attention
because of his imposing character [narration of Ibn ‘Abbós g]. How-
ever, when he realized it himself he said, ‘Woe to me that I became
forgetful of my Creator because of my love for wealth. He then or-
dered his attendants to bring the horses back in his presence. He
unsheathed his sword and began cutting them down at the neck
and hamstrings [narration of ûasan g in al-Durr al-Manthñr]. In
Taüawwuf terminology, this is called ghaira which means eliminat-
ing anything that hinders the remembrance of Allah u.
Then he [Shāh Walõ Allóh] says:
And one of the lofty states is fear of Allah u that manifests in the
limbs and body. The memorizers of hadith narrate a hadith that the
Blessed Prophet s said, ‘Ten people will be placed underneath the
shade of His throne, the fifth being one who remembered Allah u
in a desolate place and tears flowed from his eyes.’
4
In another hadith,
once ‘Uthmón g cried profusely while standing before a grave. It is
also narrated in a hadith that one could hear a sound like the sim-
mering of food [in a pot] from the Blessed Prophet’s s chest when
he prayed his nightly üalót.
5
Shāh ‘Abd al-‘Azõz says, “In one hadith it is narrated that one who cries
from fear of Allah u will not enter into the Hellfire until milk reenters
the udder.
6
Abñ Bakr g was one who cried profusely. He could never stop
crying when he recited the Qur’an. Jubair ibn Muø‘im g said, ‘When I
heard the aya:
نْوُ قِلا َ خْلا ُمُه ْمَا ْئَش ِ رْيَ غ ْنِم اْوُ قِلُخ ْمَا
Is it that they are created by none, or are they themselves the creators?
7
from the Blessed Prophet s, I felt as if my heart burst [from my chest]
from fear of Allah u.’”
8
127
@
ADJUSTING SPIRITUAL REMEDIES TO THE TIMES
There are many sayings of the earlier and later scholars about the spiritual
exertions that they are not objectives themselves. The true objective is
attaining the level of iúsān. In the process of attaining iúsān, a seeker
is treated according to the spiritual illness that prevents him from at-
taining iúsān. Furthermore, every nation develops its own culture and
every culture breeds its own spiritual illnesses. Therefore, the spiritual
masters of the time will prescribe treatments accordingly. When innova-
tions increased, the spiritual masters added the statement “to save oneself
from innovation” in their bai‘a the way the Blessed Prophet s sometimes
added “and to never ask anyone for anything” or occasionally “to never
wail.” Likewise, the Blessed Prophet s prescribed specific rulings for dif-
ferent Companions l. In Mishkāt al-Maüóbõú, Sufyón ibn ‘Abd Allóh g
once asked the Blessed Prophet s, “O Blessed Prophet s, tell me some-
thing inclusive and concise in Islam that I never need to ask anyone
again?” The Blessed Prophet s replied, “Say ‘I believe in Allah u’ and
hold strong to this.”
In another narration, Abñ Amóma g narrates, “A person asked
the Blessed Prophet s, ‘What is faith?’ The Blessed Prophet s replied,
‘When your good deeds makes you happy and your bad deeds make you
sad, you are a believer.’”
9
Once ‘Amr ibn ‘Anbasa g asked, “What is faith?”
The Blessed Prophet s replied, “To be patient [with what you do not
have] and to be generous [with what you do].” In the same hadith he was
asked, “What is the highest level of Islam?” The Blessed Prophet s replied,
“Good habits.”
10
When Muódh ibn Jabal g asked a similar question the
Blessed Prophet s replied, “that you die in the state that your tongue is
busy in the remembrance of Allah u.”
11
In another narration ‘Abd Allóh ibn Busr g narrates, “A person asked
the Blessed Prophet s, ‘O Prophet, there are so many rules of Islam, tell
me one that I may hold on to tightly.’ The Blessed Prophet s replied,
‘Keep your tongue busy in the remembrance of Allah u.’”
12
In another narration, Abñ Huraira g says, “A person asked the
Blessed Prophet s, ‘Give me advice?’ The Blessed Prophet s replied, ‘Do
not be angry.’
13
He asked again, the Blessed Prophet s replied the same
again. And then, each time he repeated his question the Blessed Prophet s
gave the same reply. In another narration, Abñ Ayyñb Anüórõ g narrates,
“A man asked, ‘Give me some short advice?’ The Blessed Prophet s replied,
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128
‘Pray üalót as if it is your last, do not say something you will feel regretful
for afterwards, and do not hope for that which is in the hands of others.’”
14
In essence, these narrations illustrate that the Blessed Prophet s cus-
tomized his answers to the person he was addressing based on his specific
situation. Likewise, the wordings the spiritual masters of Sulñk use or the
clauses they include in the standard bai‘a depends on the person who is
taking bai‘a with them. It also depends on the culture they grew up and
lived in, and the area they are from. In areas where people are accustomed
to simulated funeral processions [t‘azia] the spiritual masters include the
words, “repentance from simulated funeral processions.”
When a virus afflicts people in different regions, sometimes a ‘hot’
medicine is suitable for people of one region while ‘cold’ medicines for
people of another. Two patients sometimes have the same problem but
the physician prescribes two different medicines, even though the objec-
tive in both cases is the same: to cure the patient. Similarly, the treat-
ments of homeopaths and medical physicians vary, but their objective is
the same.
Likewise, the temporal spiritual states of the Chishtiyya and Naqsh-
bandiyya paths are different because they prescribe treatments according
to their methodologies. All these spiritual exertions [regardless of whether
it is according to the Chishtiyya or Naqshbandiyya methodology] are
treatments for the same spiritual sicknesses. Thus, to demand where such
a method is found in the Qur’an and hadith is like asking a physician
where is proof in the hadith to prescribe gule banafshó [a traditional herb]
for colds. It is like asking a physician, “Which aya of the Qur’an and which
hadith prove the use of penicillin for infections?” When a person gets sick
and a physician prescribes something for him, it becomes incumbent on
the patient to take that medicine. In fact, the scholars even permit the use
of a forbidden medicine for treating an illness. If a morsel of food gets
stuck in one’s throat and nothing except alcohol is at hand, it becomes
obligatory on this person to take the alcohol to save his life. The idea is the
same with spiritual sicknesses.
@
THE MEANING OF INNOVATION IN DöN
If the spiritual ‘physicians’ prescribe something for a spiritual sickness,
none has the right to ask whether or not this is from the Qur’an and
Sunna. Whoever says it is an innovation does not know the meaning
129
of innovation. Innovation is the name of an “innovation in Dõn” not
an “innovation for Dõn.” People unable to differentiate between the two
have no understanding of the Dõn. “Innovation for Dõn” is so impor-
tant it sometimes becomes necessary. For example, in the past they used
swords, bows, and arrows in wars, but using them today for that purpose
is ludicrous. It is necessary to be equipped with guns, tanks, and modern
weaponry if one is to be victorious.
@
THE DIFFERENT SPIRITUAL STATES
Shaikh Mujaddid writes in one of his letters:
15
You wrote that you were uninformed about the special nisba of your
mentor [Shaikh Bóqõ Billa] and even asked about it. Listen my friend;
these types of questions are not advisable in writing or even orally.
Who knows [after reading the reply] what others will make of it and
deduce from it. In order to understand the nisba of the shaikh, one
must stay in their company for a considerable period of time and
not be skeptical of them, i.e. they must be held in the highest regard.
Every question, whatever it may be, deserves an answer, therefore, I
will tell you this much: that every perpetual spiritual state is unique
in the effects it produces, i.e. the changes it produces in the heart and
the actions. Each perpetual spiritual state is characterized by a type
of gnosis, spiritual realizations, temporal spiritual states, and feelings.
The most appropriate worship for one perpetual state may be dhikr
and concentration on Allah u [tawajju] while for another recita-
tion of Qur’an and üalót. Also, one perpetual state may be reached
through the bestowal of Allah u [jadhb] while another through
Sulñk. A third type of perpetual state may be reached through a
combination of both while another is totally independent of both, i.e.
it has no relation with Sulñk or jadhb. This perpetual state, however,
is rare; it was the state of the Companions l. Anyone who possesses
this perpetual state is of the most excellent character. The holders
of this perpetual state have little resemblance to the holders of other
perpetual states, unlike the other perpetual states which are similar
to each other in one way or another. Few of the spiritual masters
of the three paths i.e., Chishtiyya, Naqshbandiyya, and Qódiriyya,
claim to have ever attained this perpetual state, that is to say that
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few can communicate the spiritual experiences and gnosis that is at-
tained in this perpetual state.
ُءاَشّي ْنَم ِهْيِتْؤُي ِلا ُ ل ْ ضَ ف َكِل َ ذ
The Companions l attained this powerful nisba and peaked in it
within the first few moments of staying in the company of the Blessed
Prophet s. Anyone else would be forced to tread the path of Sulñk or
jadhb, gain knowledge, and gnosis, before attaining this nisba of the
Companions l. The attainment of this nisba so quickly is the exclusive
trait of the companionship [üuúba] of the Blessed Prophet s. However,
it is possible to attain this lofty nisba in the same manner and as quickly
as the Companions l if one sits in the company of one who has gained
this blessing.
As it is necessary to consult physicians for physical illnesses because no
one reads medical books to treat oneself, likewise it is necessary to con-
sult spiritual physicians for spiritual illnesses. As many imams came who
established principles and derived rulings accordingly from the Qur’an
and Sunna, likewise many spiritual masters of Sulñk came who developed
methodologies for Taüawwuf. As there were many mujtahids for the ex-
oteric of the Shari‘a, likewise there were many spiritual masters for the
esoteric of the Shari‘a; and as the exoteric of Shari‘a became confined to
four imams likewise, for many reasons, the spiritual masters of Taüawwuf
became confined [within most of the Muslim world] to four paths: the
Qódiriyya, Chishtiyya, Suhrwardiyya, and Naqshbandiyya.
131
@
ENDNOTES
1 al-Durr al-Thamõn, pg 61
2 38:33
3 38:33
4 Baihaqī, Faðl al-ýalót bi al-Jamó‘a | Tirmidhī, al-ûubb fi Allóh
5 Ibn ûabbón, Qiró’at al-Qur’an | Nisó’ī , al-Bukó’ fi al-ýalót
6 Tirmidhī, Faðl hg-Ghubór fi Sabīl Allóh
7 52:35
8 Mu‘ jam al-Kabīr, 2/141
9 Ibn ûabbón, Farð al-ömón
10 Shu‘ b al-ömón, 6/242
11 Ibn ûabbón, Adkhór
12 al-Mu‘ jam al-Ausaø, 2/374
13 Bukhārī, al-ûadhar min al-Gaðab
14 Musnad Aúmad, 38/434
15 Tajaliyyót al-Rabbónõ
The Spiritual Exertions of the Sufs
132
__
Chapter Twelve
The Need for a Mentor and the Necessary
Conditions for Becoming a Mentor
@
TWO CONDITIONS FOR A MENTOR:
PIETY AND COMPETENCE
In al-Takashshuf, Shaikh Thānwī writes:
One should know that it is necessary for one who treats an illness
to himself be healthy and also competent enough to treat others. As
the saying goes, ‘the opinion of a weak person is weak’ [ra’ya al-‘alõl
‘alõl ]. Therefore, if he is a physician, but is sick, his opinion will be
of little value. Likewise, if he is healthy but incompetent, he cannot
help anyone though he is in good health.
Likewise, in the treatment of spiritual ailments, a good spiritual
mentor is required i.e. one who is God-fearing, and not a transgressor
or an innovator in Dõn. He should also be competent enough to help
others attain iúsān. If this person is corrupt in his beliefs or actions
[i.e., he is amongst the innovators or transgressors] it is only fair to
conclude that he will not be any good for his [spiritual] students in
matters of Dõn. In fact, it is most likely he will try to proselyte the
seeker; and then if he is not practicing his Dõn what is the likelihood
he will guide his student toward good deeds? He will say to himself,
133
‘What will he think of me if he sees that I do not practice upon what
I preach?’ If anything, he will justify his actions to appear righteous
before his students, and this is a major source of misguidance. Sec-
ond, his teachings will not be illuminated with light, blessings, or
the divine help of Allah u. If this spiritual mentor is God-fearing
and pious, but does not possess the necessary skills to instruct the
students in spiritual matters, he will be unable to help the seeker in
his affairs.
How do we recognize a true physician? If he is accredited, has
completed his residency, people come to him for treatment, and
many of them are nursed back to health. Likewise, the signs of a
true spiritual mentor are that he has spent a considerable amount of
time with and benefited from a recognized mentor; the scholars and
people of intelligence think highly of him, come to him in times of
need; and feel an increase in love of Allah u and decrease in love of
the material world when sitting in his presence; and the situation of
those who sit in his company is continually progressing. When one
observes all these signs in a person, then he is worthy of being made
a spiritual mentor. He should consider him a panacea for his spiritual
ailments and believe that visiting and being in the service of such a
person is a great honor. Thus, a complete overview of the character-
istics of a spiritual mentor is:
– he is God-fearing and pious
– he is a follower of the Sunna
– knows a sufficient amount of the knowledge of Dõn
– has remained in the company of a recognized mentor
– the scholars and intelligent people are inclined towards him
– his company is efficacious
– the seekers are improving in his company.
@
CONDITIONS FOR BEING A MENTOR
In al-Qaul al-Jamõl, Shāh Walõ Allóh Dehlawõ established stricter condi-
tions for being a spiritual mentor, the summary being mentioned in Shifó
al-‘Alõl. Below, is a list of some of these conditions:
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1. Knowledge of the Qur’an and hadith, and this does not mean com-
prehensive knowledge of the Qur’an, but sufficient enough that he has un-
derstood the Qur’an through study of the exegesis like Tafsõr al-Madórik
or Jalólain or some other voluminous or summarized exegesis. It is also
important that he has studied the said exegesis from a learned scholar. He
should also be knowledgeable in the field of aúódõth and have studied
Kitób al-Maüóbõú or Mashóriq and knows the opinions of the scholars on
the different aúódõth.
The translator [of al-Qaul al-Jamõl ], Shaikh Nawób Qutb al-Dõn, says
that the condition ‘knows the opinions of the scholars’ is to know that
any opinion aside from the opinions of the four imams is a deviation and
against the consensus of the community. Shāh ‘Abd al-‘Azõz says that, ‘one
who is informed of the position of scholars fulfills the condition of having
sufficient knowledge of the Qur’an and Sunna.’
After this, Shāh Walõ Allóh Dehlawõ reminds us that the condition
for the mentor to be a scholar is that the purpose of bai‘a itself is to guide
the seeker towards goodness and prohibit him from wrongful things,
to break his bad habits and to imbue in him good ones. And then the
most important is to have the seeker retain these good habits and prac-
tice them in all the different aspects mentioned above. Thus, how can
a spiritual mentor who is not a scholar and does not possess the knowl-
edge of good and bad, right and wrong, be able to guide a seeker to the
right path?
Shaikh Nawób Qutb al-Dõn says:
Subúān Allāh! Look at how the situation has changed in our times.
The pseudo-sufis of today are obsessed with the notion that knowl-
edge is unnecessary in Taüawwuf and, in fact, think it is a hurdle in
this path. They say that Shari‘a is one thing and Taüawwuf is another.
How can they say such a thing when all one finds in the books of
the past sufis like Qñt al-Qulñb, ‘Awórif, Iúyó al-‘Ulñm, Kõmiyó-e-
Sa‘ódat, Futñú al-Ghaib, and Ghaniyyat al-ùólibõn is that Shari‘a is
a condition for Taüawwuf? Even ignorance cringes at such examples
of grave ignorance. They don’t even know what is written in the
books of the sufis whose names they chant more than they recite the
Qur’an and who they talk about night and day.
135
Shaikh Nawób Qutb al-Dõn writes in a footnote:
It says, in the book Taüawwuf-e-Muúammudī’ that the father of the
sufis, Shaikh Junaid Baghdódõ says:
Whoever has not memorized the Qur’an and written
aúódõth cannot be followed in Taüawwuf because this path
and knowledge of ours is mutually intertwined with the
Qur’an and Sunna.
Another one of his sayings is, “Any Taüawwuf which opposes the
Shari‘a is disbelief.”
Sirrõ Saqøõ said, “Taüawwuf is the name of three qualities:
1 The light of gnosis does not extinguish the light of taqwó.
2 One does not speak the secrets of the inner [the spiritual states
and celestial shapes etc.] if they violate the explicit meanings
of the Qur’an.
3 The supernatural wonders of a person do not transgress the
prohibitions of Allah u.
Many other sayings of the famous friends of Allah u are mentioned
in Jómi‘ al-Tafósõr.
Shāh Walõ Allóh Dehlawõ continues:
Then, the spiritual mentor must be one who has remained in the
company of the God-fearing scholars, learned the proprieties from
them, and diligently studied the lawful and unlawful. He trembles
in fear when he hears the orders and prohibitions from the Qur’an
and Sunna, and transforms his sayings, actions, and his whole life in
accordance with the Qur’an and Sunna. If a spiritual mentor is not a
scholar it is expected of him to possess as much knowledge as is nec-
essary to ensure he leads his life according to the Qur’an and Sunna.
2. The second condition is that he must have probity [‘adóla] and taqwó.
It is incumbent upon him to abstain from major sins and to continuously
refrain from minor ones.
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Shāh ‘Abd al-‘Azõz says:
Taqwó is a condition for the spiritual mentor because the purpose
behind bai‘a is to purify the heart. Humans are naturally inclined
to adopt the ways and habits of those in whose company they sit. In
matters of Taüawwuf, words without actions will not do. Therefore,
a spiritual mentor who is not characterized by good morals and good
deeds and who only talks and delivers speeches has not understood
the purpose of bai‘a.
3. The third condition is that he strives for the Hereafter and abstains
from the allures of the material world. He is steadfast in practicing the
emphasized Sunnas and the different dhikrs narrated in the authentic
aúódõth. His heart is connected with Allah u and he possesses the gift of
perpetual awareness of Allah u.
4. The fourth condition is that he only orders what is permissible and
prohibits what is forbidden. He is strong of opinion and not wishy-washy,
trying to please everyone. He is also extremely intelligent and one who can
be trusted.
5. The fifth condition is that he has stayed in the company of a genuine
mentor and learned the proprieties from him for a lengthy period of time.
He has gained light of the heart and tranquility from him. The company
of the friends of Allah u is necessary because it is the way of Allah u
that one cannot acquire something unless he is in the company of those
who already possess it. So, a person cannot truly gain knowledge unless he
sits with the scholars, and likewise can be said of every skill; one cannot be
a blacksmith until he learns from a blacksmith and a carpenter unless he
spends time with a carpenter.
It is not necessary that the spiritual mentor is able to perform mi-
raculous deeds or that he does not work [i.e., have a job]. This is because
miraculous acts are the result of exhaustive spiritual exercises. They are
not a sign of genuineness in the spiritual mentor, and to leave one’s work
or occupation is against the Shari‘a. One should not be deceived by the
dervishes who are overwhelmed by their spiritual states and do not try to
make a living; their lifestyle cannot be taken as evidence of permissibility
to withdraw from worldly life and from making a living. Islam teaches
137
us to be content with whatever we have, to be careful of how we earn our
wealth, to avoid unlawful and doubtful wealth and a job that is forbidden
[but not to withdraw from the worldly life].
Shāh ‘Abd al-‘Azõz says:
It is not necessary for a spiritual mentor to lead a monastic life or
devote himself to harsh and difficult conditions and devotions like
perpetual fasting, spending the night in üalót, practicing celibacy,
avoiding delectable foods, and running off into the jungle or moun-
tains, as many people of our time think is required to be a true sufi.
This is because these acts fall under extremism in Dõn [tashaddud fi
al-Dõn], and hardship on the self [tashaddud ‘ala al-nafs] is not per-
missible. The Blessed Prophet s said, “One is never radical in Dõn
but that he becomes subdued by it.”
1
He also said, “Monasticism has
no place in Islam.”
2
@
EXERTIONS OF PAST MENTORS
The conditions put by Shāh Walõ Allóh Dehlawõ for a spiritual mentor
are comparatively harsher than those put by Shaikh Thānwī. Before Shāh
Walõ Allóh Dehlawõ, the elders put their students through strict measures
and harsh conditions before granting them successorship. This is known to
any one who has read the biographies of the friends of Allah u. The story
of Shāh Abñ Sa‘õd Gangohī is well known and I have narrated it in many
of my booklets. In summary, the story is that he went to Shāh Nizóm al-
Dõn Balkhõ. When Shāh Nizóm al-Dõn learned that his mentor’s grandson
is about to arrive, he set out to receive him from one of the stations. Shāh
Nizóm al-Dõn showed him the utmost respect and returned with him to
Balkh. He sat him on an elevated place and himself sat in the servants
area. When Shāh Abñ Sa‘õd asked permission to leave, Shāh Nizóm al-
Dõn placed a gift of gold coins at his feet. Then Abñ Sa‘õd said, “Shaikh, I
do not need these worldly things nor have I come here for this purpose. I
want the [spiritual] wealth which you came and took from us.”
3
No sooner
had said this that Shāh Nizóm al-Dõn completely changed his attitude.
He said harshly, “Go to the barn and prepare food for the hunting dogs.”
Thus, he was placed in charge of watching over the hunting dogs, and
washing them, bathing them, and keeping them clean. Sometimes he was
told to blow into the fires [to warm the water for the bathrooms] and at
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138
other times to accompany his mentor on his hunting trips, holding the
leashes of the hunting dogs while the Shaikh rode his horse. One of the
servants was instructed, “Give the servant who lives in the barn two pieces
of barley bread twice a day from the house.” Now whenever Shāh Abñ
Sa‘õd came in the presence of Shāh Nizóm al-Dõn, he would not look up at
Shāh Abñ Sa‘õd. He told Shāh Abñ Sa‘õd to sit far from him and refused to
acknowledge his presence when he came in.
Once the Shaikh ordered the cleaning lady to purposely drop some
garbage over him and note his reaction. When she passed by and purposely
slipped some garbage over him he grew red with anger and said, “I would
have showed you if we were in Gangoh.” The cleaning lady informed the
Shaikh of Shāh Abñ Sa‘õd’s response. The Shaikh said, “There is still some
odor of arrogance in him.” Two months later, the Shaikh ordered the clean-
ing lady to do the same again. This time he [Shāh Abñ Sa‘õd] only glared
at her then quietly lowered his head. When the cleaning lady came and
told the Shaikh, “Today, he did not say a thing. He glared at me and then
lowered his head.” The Shaikh said, “There is still some odor left.” After a
few months, he ordered the cleaning lady to “Throw a whole basket of cow
dung on him until he is covered in it from head to toe.” But now Shāh Abñ
Sa‘õd was spiritually purified. When she came and threw the whole basket
over him, he stood up concerned and said humbly, “The poor woman hit
me accidentally and fell. Tell me, are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”
He then scooped up all the cow dung with his hands saying, “Here let
me put this back in for you,” and carefully put it back in the basket. The
cleaning lady narrated the whole incident and said in astonishment, “To-
day, instead of getting angry, Shāh ýóúib pitied me and scooped up all
the dung and put it in the basket.” The Shaikh said, “Now he is rectified.”
Later that day, Shāh Nizóm al-Dõn sent a servant to Shāh Abñ Sa‘õd,
“Today we will go hunting, prepare the dogs for the trip.” In the evening,
the Shaikh rode out into the jungle with his servants. Fragile and sickly,
Shāh Abñ Sa‘õd was guiding the well-fed hunting dogs by their leashes. He
tied the leashes to his waist and tried to hold them back but fell and was
dragged on the jungle floor. Branches, thorns, and rocks bruised and cut
his body, but not a sound came from his mouth. When the other servants
pulled in the dogs and raised him to his feet he was trembling from fear
that, “The Shaikh will be angry with me,” and will say “You didn’t follow
my orders! Why didn’t you control the dogs?” But the Shaikh was only
testing him and this he had done.
That night Shāh Nizóm al-Dõn saw his spiritual mentor Shaikh ‘Abd
al-Quddñs [Shóh Abñ Sa‘õd’s grandfather] in his dream. He [Shāh ‘Abd
139
al-Quddñs] said to him sadly, “Nizóm al-Dõn, I didn’t put you through as
many exertions as you put my children through.” Early the next morning
Shāh Nizóm al-Dõn called Shóh Abñ Sa‘õd from the barn and hugged him.
He then said, “I brought with me the bountiful blessings of the Chistiyya
family from India, and you are now taking it back. May Allah u bless
you, you may now go home.” Thus, he granted Shóh Abñ Sa‘õd successor-
ship and sent him back to India.
This story is summarized, the original being much longer. Many famous
stories of spiritual exertions of this kind are found in the books of history,
but our physical strength has given away and we do not have the faith
of our predecessors. Therefore, the spiritual masters after Shaikh Thānwī
have become very lenient in this matter. The Blessed Prophet s said to
the Companions l,
َ لِمَع ْنَم ٌناَم َ ز ْيِت ْ أَي ّمُ ث َكَ لَه ِهِب َرِمُ أ اَم َرْشُع ْم ُ كْنِم َ كَرَ ت ْنَم ٍ ناَم َ ز ْيِف ْم ُ كّنِإ
اَجَن ِهِب َرِمُ أ اَم ٍ رْشُعِب ْمُهْنِم
You live in a time that one will be ruined if he does not fulfill a tenth
of what is required of him, but a time will come when a person will be
saved if he performs one tenth of what is required of him.
4
In his commentary of Mishkāt al-Maüóbõú, Mulla ‘Alõ Qórõ writes
“what is required” in the aforementioned hadith refers to enjoining the
good and forbidding the evil.
I [Shaikh Zakariyyó] think it is a general statement and refers to all the
commandments of Dõn. By ‘does not fulfill’ is meant lack of concentration
and iúsān. In a hadith of Abñ Dówñd, the Blessed Prophet s said, “A per-
son prays üalót and one tenth the reward of üalót is written for him while
for others, up to half the reward of üalót.”
5
This deficiency is because of a
lack of concentration and submissiveness in üalót.
Due to weakness in our faith and our inability to tolerate physical
hardship, the spiritual masters have reduced the amount and intensity of
the spiritual exertions and likewise the conditions for being a spiritual
mentor. This topic is lengthy and though I feel like writing more on it,
who is going to read it? Therefore, I shall stop writing.
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@
THE TRAGEDY OF TAýAWWUF
TERMINOLOGIES AND OBJECTIVES
Shaikh Abñ al-ûasan ‘Alõ Nadwõ wrote a superb introduction to the book,
Akóbir kó Sulñk aur Iúsān [by Sufi Iqból in Urdu]. I will reproduce it here
and finish the chapter with his words. He says:
When reading history, two common problems are faced by people
in the field of [Islamic] ethics, academics, and the [Islamic] sciences
and arts:
1 When the ways or methods by which objectives are achieved
become objectives themselves
2 When terminologies inhibit understanding of realities
These methods and terminologies are extremely important.
They are not accessories to the objectives, but rather evolve from
them. Without them, these exalted objectives could not be propagat-
ed or understood. Despite their importance though, terminologies
or methodologies are never objectives, but rather agents in achieving
the objectives. They are used temporarily for the attainment of the
objectives and are occasionally emphasized more than the objectives
they promote. However, when an expert in any field or science deems
it appropriate, he will not only filter the terminologies and meth-
odologies from the objectives, but even eliminate them completely.
The expert will also try to maintain equilibrium between the termi-
nologies and methodologies inhibiting the path to the objectives and
guiding towards them. But one matter that must be understood is
that this difficult stage came upon every exalted objective. In such
cases, the methods often became the objectives and the terminolo-
gies began inhibiting the path to realization and achievement of the
objectives and its realities.
Sometimes the objectives fade into the background as our em-
phasis on the terminology increases, but worse than that, bitter expe-
riences with standard-bearers of these terminologies and their misuse
of these terminologies lead to gross misunderstandings about the ob-
jectives. A great swath of people become so distrustful of these objec-
tives, that convincing them of their greatness has become an arduous
task. When you talk to them about the importance of acquiring
141
these objectives or try to remove their doubts about them, the meth-
odologies which self-styled claimants have exaggerated and insisted
upon, engulf them. These self-styled claimants became so obsessed
with the methodologies that the objectives themselves are forgotten.
Likewise, terminologies become an obstruction when people
are called to the realities that are self-evident and in which there
is no second opinion. The reality of such terminologies is that they
evolve in certain conditions and circumstances; unlike the realities
they serve, they are disposable and allow for a difference of opinion.
They were devised to bring certain profound realities to the mind
in a timed-release manner [so as to not immediately overburden the
mind with heavy and deep concepts] and with certain objectives in
the minds of their creators. The first standard-bearers of these reali-
ties, whose lives were a living example of them, had no knowledge of
these terminologies. They explained and implanted these realities in
the consciousness of the people using different words, methods and
styles. From Arabic morphology, Arabic syntax, the principles of fiqh,
Arabic linguistics and rhetoric to purification of the heart and gnosis
of Allah u, one who studies the history of these fields will learn
that the earlier scholarship was different in many respects from later
works. It will become clear that the earlier scholars were independent
of these methodologies and thus were in control of their field. The
later scholars, on the other hand, were dependent on the terminolo-
gies and thus controlled by them. The authorities in these fields are
the true propagators of the realities while the self-styled experts pris-
oners and worshippers of the terminologies. In arts, academics, and
ethics, the exalted objectives are and always have been a tribulation
for their seekers throughout the centuries.
Taüawwuf suffers the same problem. The objectives and reali-
ties of Taüawwuf are an undeniable truth, but its terminologies and
methodologies have becomes its greatest obstruction. The first ob-
struction came by overuse of the methodology and the second by
overemphasis on the terminology.
Are good morals and sincerity important or not? Is increasing
the faith to the level of certainty good or not? What about attain-
ing virtuous qualities and eliminating wicked ones? What about be-
ing saved from jealousy, hatred, keeping a grudge, love of wealth,
love of the self, and other immoral traits? Is liberation from the
clutches of the lower self that incites towards evil good or not? What
about concentration in üalót, crying in humbleness to Allah u in
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supplication, and vigilance over the lower self? What about the most
essential qualities for a believer like love for Allah u and his Blessed
Prophet s? How about physically tasting the sweetness of love of
Allah u and his Blessed Prophet s or in the least, to strive and work
towards attaining love of Allah u and his Blessed Prophet s; be-
ing honest in relations and transactions; truthfulness and trustwor-
thiness; concern for fulfilling the rights of others; being in control
of the lower self; self-control which prevents irrational behavior like
exploding into a rage? Are these not traits we should strive to attain?
Every decent and good-natured person, and especially a Mus-
lim who does not have the blindfold of prejudice over his eyes will
tell you the same thing: that these qualities are not only good, but
are actually objectives of the Shari‘a and that the teachings of the
Qur’an and Sunna encourage us to attain these qualities. However,
the moment it is explained to them that these qualities can be at-
tained through a field known by the name of Taüawwuf, they will
become upset. This is because of their repugnance for the terminol-
ogy and also because of their observations and bitter experiences with
the claimants and standard-bearers of this terminology. When the
term is uttered, it revives their bad experiences with such claimants
and their personal observations of them. But this is not a problem
of Taüawwuf only. It is common to every field and art, for every
revivalist movement and every pure and sincere objective. They have
their share of true workers and propagators as well as claimants and
pretenders. There are the genuine and the counterfeit, the masters
and the self-styled experts, the experienced and the inexperienced,
and the truthful and the hypocrites amongst them. However, an in-
telligent person will not reject the objective, field, or art on the basis
of this dichotomy. The same goes for worldly matters like business,
farming, or a skill; there are the good and experienced and also the
bad and inexperienced among them. But the way Allah u runs the
system of this world and His Dõn is that people take what they need.
The pretenders do not prevent true seekers from achieving their ob-
jectives, nor does a misunderstanding of the terminology turn those
in search of the truth away from the reality.
There are two groups in regards to Taüawwuf. The first group
accepts the different aspects of Taüawwuf, but rejects it when they
are incorporated under this name. Some of the objectives and charac-
teristics we mentioned earlier are examples of goals/aims accepted by
all in their individual form, but when incorporated under the name
143
of Taüawwuf, the first group is repulsed by it and says, “We don’t
believe in Taüawwuf; it is the source of corruption.”
The second group accepts the reality of Taüawwuf but only when
it is given a different name. For example, if they are told that the
Qur’anic term for this reality is purification of the heart [tazkiyya],
iúsān in the aúódõth, and jurisprudence of the esoteric [fiqh al-bóøin]
in the words of later scholars, they say, “There is no reason to dis-
agree with it and it is from the Qur’an and hadith.”
The problem is that the term Taüawwuf cannot be eliminat-
ed from the books nor can we expect people to forget their ways
[i.e. habit of usage of the term Taüawwuf ] [‘ways of the people’ is
also referred to as the manifestation of Allah u’s voice because
Allah u makes Himself heard through people], otherwise if we had
our way we would call it iúsān and tazkiyya and would do away with
the name Taüawwuf. However, this name has become the conven-
tion and as often observed in different fields [history is full of such
examples], the conventional name of a field predominates over its
original name.
The masters of each field always emphasized the objectives and
kept the methodology secondary to them. Likewise, they boldly re-
jected those elements which harmed the spirit of the respective field
and its sublime objectives. In every era in the history of Islam, the
teachers, propagators, and people of knowledge separated the flesh
from the shell, the realities from the imaginary, and the objectives
from the customs. From Shaikh ‘Abd al-Qódir Jilónõ and Shaikh
Shihób al-Dõn Suhrwardõ to Mujadid Alf-e-Thónõ, Shóh Walõ Allóh
Dehlawõ, Sayyid Aúmad Shāhõd, Shaikh Rashõd Aúmad Gangohī,
and Shaikh Ashraf ‘Alõ Thānwī; they all emphasized the need to
distinguish non-objectives from objectives and to separate the flesh
from its shell. They also forcefully rebutted the customs and ritu-
als that seeped in through mixing with Hindus and false sufis and
which people eventually came to believe in as the pillars of Taüaw-
wuf. Whether it is Shaikh ‘Abd al-Qódir Jilónõ’s Futñú al-Ghaib
and Ghaniyyat al-ùólibõn, Shaikh Shihób al-Dõn Suhrwardõ’s ‘Awórif
al-Ma‘órif, Shaikh Mujadid Alf-e-Thónõ’s Maktñbót-e-Rabbónī, the
work of Shāh Walõ Allóh Dehlawõ, Sayyid Aúmad Shāhõd’s ýirót al-
Mustaqõm, Shaikh Rashõd Gangohī’s Maktñbót, or Shaikh Thānwī’s
Tarbiyat al-Sólik and Qaüd al-Sabõl, one finds their articles and writ-
ings drawing the line between truth and falsehood. Shāh Walõ Allóh
Dehlawõ went as far as to say, “The nisba of the sufis is the greatest
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blessing, but their customs [which are unproven in the Shari‘a] hold
no weight.” Likewise, every one of these scholars emphasized, with-
out exception, the importance of morals, dealing with others, and
fulfilling the rights of others, and made these essential conditions
for rectification of the heart and closeness to Allah u. Their writ-
ings consistently emphasized these points and their gatherings were
centers for the propagation of this belief.
I found the elders whose time I lived in, whom I was fortu-
nate to meet [and whose lives convinced me of the righteousness of
Taüawwuf ], to be more than the embodiment of Taüawwuf, they
were also exemplars of the Shari‘a. Their morals mirrored the mor-
als of the Blessed Prophet s while their actions, their dealings with
others, and their entire lives were perfect models of the Shari‘a. I
always saw them separating the methodologies from the objectives;
they downplayed the terminologies, stressed the importance of the
realities, ignored the customs, and rebuffed the innovations. Their
adherence to the Sunna was not limited to the worship only; it also
guided their habits and social dealings. They were not the followers
but rather the mujtahids of this path of Taüawwuf; through their
divine intuition and extensive experience they sometimes omitted
or added, and selected or summarized the field of Taüawwuf. They
discreetly prescribed treatments according to the attitude and dis-
position of each seeker, and carefully considered the situation, the
personality, and the preoccupations [of the seeker] in the preven-
tion and treatment of spiritual illnesses. They were the founders,
the spiritual guides, and the mujtahids of this field; they were the
masters of their field, not those who submitted to it. Their main
objective was to treat and revive the sick; they were not among
those who followed the beaten path and repeated the lessons by
rote. In their view, the true objectives of Taüawwuf included per-
fecting one’s morals, being true and honest in dealings with people,
being moderate in disposition and behavior, controlling the lower
self, sacrificing for others, submitting and adhering, being sincere,
and ultimately attaining the pleasure of Allah u in everything
one did. The dhikr, spiritual exertions, bai‘a, and company of the
spiritual mentor are pursued to achieve these goals; and if none of
these goals are achieved then all these efforts are in vain. [End of
Shaikh Abñ al-ûasan ‘Alõ Nadwõ’s quote]
145
@
WHO ARE THE SUFIS?
Everything Shaikh Abñ al-ûasan ‘Alõ Nadwõ said is the truth. The elders
[akóbir] have said the same: that there is no disagreement in the objectives
of Taüawwuf, only that some detest the name of Taüawwuf. People run
from the name of Taüawwuf. Some of them run because of their ignorance
of the objectives and others because of the way the word Taüawwuf has
become associated, in their minds, with wrongful behavior. The whole
eleventh volume of Ibn Taimiyya’s fatwas is about the subject of Taüawwuf.
He writes:
The name sufis was not known in the third century but became
famous sometime after. This word is found in the writings of the
imams and spiritual mentors like Imam Aúmad ibn ûanbal, Abñ
Sulaimān Dórónõ, Sufyón Thaurõ, and also ûasan Baürõ. The schol-
ars disagree on the etymology of the word.
After narrating various opinions, he says:
This word is associated with the wearing of wool [üñf ]. The first ap-
pearance of a group of sufis was in the city of Basra and the first to
open a sanctum were the students of ‘Abd al-Wóúid ibn Zaid… and
‘Abd al-Wóhid ibn Zaid was one of the successors of ûasan Baürõ. Of
all places, Basra was the city where people were the most austere, pi-
ous, and God-fearing and this is how the saying, “Fiqh is a dweller of
Kñfa and worship a dweller of Basra” was born.
Then, Ibn Taimiyya narrates various incidents of the sufis of Basra.
These incidents explain how some would fall unconscious and sometimes
even die while reciting the Qur’an. Some of the elders of the time opposed
this type of behavior thinking it was pretentious while others argued it had
no precedent in the Companions l. The view of the majority of scholars
is that a person who says or does something while spiritually unconscious
cannot be denounced. Though, the person who controls his state and does
not fall unconscious is better.When Imam Aúmad was asked about un-
consciousness [ghashõ] and spiritual ecstasy [wajd] he said, “Once when
someone recited the Qur’an to Yaúyā ibn Sa‘õd Qaøøón, he fell unconscious.
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If anyone was able to control himself at such a time it would be Yaúyā ibn
Sa‘õd because I have never seen anyone as intelligent as him.”
It is also narrated about Imam Shófi‘õ that he fell unconscious, and the
story of ‘Alõ ibn Fuðail ibn Ayyóð is also well-known. In brief, these types
of incidents also happened with the most respected of the pious predeces-
sors whom we trust in their integrity and piety.
The description of the different states of the Companions l are men-
tioned in the Qur’an; these states are higher than those which have been
previously mentioned, like the trembling of their hearts and shedding
tears, etc. But people whose hearts have hardened and rusted and who
have no attachment to Dõn have even objected to this. They are the worst
type of people.
On the other hand, there are those who believe they [those who fall
unconscious and who cannot keep their bearings] held the most perfect
spiritual state. Both these two groups [the ones who object and those who
believe they held the most perfect spiritual state] stand in two opposite
poles—one in excessiveness [ifróø] and the other remissness [tafrõø]. But if
we look further, there are actually three positions in this matter. The first
are the transgressors of the self [þólim al-nafs] who have hardness of heart.
They are the people whose hearts are not affected by recitation of Qur’an
or by remembrance of Allah u, and they are like the People of the Book
when Allah u said of them:
ْم ُ كُبوُ لُ ق ْتَسَق ّمُ ث
Then, after that, your hearts were hardened
6
The second are the god-fearing believers whose hearts are weak. They
cannot withstand the spiritual feelings that overwhelm them [when recit-
ing Qur’an and remembering Allah u]. They fall unconscious and some-
times die because of the weakness of their heart and the intensity of the
descent of a spiritual meaning that overwhelms them.
Such states are not confined to the Dõn only, but can also be observed
in matters of the material world, e.g. in extreme joy or grief. There is
neither sin for their reaction nor any reason to be doubtful of their con-
dition if there is no deficiency in this respect. “If there is no deficiency”
means that he lost consciousness or died from something that was not in
violation of the Shari‘a, such as listening to recitation of the Qur’an. In
this manner, he was overwhelmed by a feeling that is termed intoxication
147
[sakr] and the passing away of the self [fanó], or something of that kind
by which he fell unconscious involuntarily. His unconsciousness is not
objectionable and he is excused if the thing which induced unconscious-
ness was not forbidden.
The fatwa in this situation is that a person is praiseworthy if these
temporal states [aúwól ] are brought on by acts that are not forbidden
and in the state that the person is a true believer, but is unable to control
himself. Likewise, he is excusable for any condition like that of uncon-
sciousness that befalls him. The people in this class are higher in status
than those who do not reach this state because of the weakness of their
faith or hardness of their heart. Though they [the ones who fall uncon-
scious] are higher than the people who have hardness of heart or are weak
in their faith [and who are not affected by recitation of the Qur’an etc.]
they are of a lower and less perfect state than the believers struck by the
same exuberant feelings [that lead to unconsciousness] but who keep
their bearings and do not fall unconscious. The last type of people [who
do not fall unconscious when struck by such exuberant feelings] are the
Companions l and the Blessed Prophet s. The Blessed Prophet s
ascended the heavens in the ascension [mirój] and experienced incredible
events, but his condition did not change. Thus, the Blessed Prophet’s s
spiritual state was better than Musa’s e who fell unconscious after see-
ing the revelation of Allah u on Mount ùñr. Undoubtedly, the spiritual
state of Musa e was exalted, but the Blessed Prophet’s s was greater
and more perfect.
Anyhow, states of this kind, induced by intense fear of Allah u, first
occurred in Basra, and since such people wore wool [üñf ] they became
known as the sufis. But their path and ways are in no way symbolized by
the wearing of wool; this attribution was only because of their outward
appearance. Taüawwuf to them was the name of some realities and spe-
cific spiritual states. They have written much on what it means to be a
sufi and the way of life of a sufi. For example, some said a sufi is one who
is pure and all impurities have been removed from him; he is perpetually
engrossed in the remembrance of Allah u, and silver, gold, pebbles and
dirt are all equal in his sight. Some say Taüawwuf means hiding spiritual
meanings and refraining from making claims. There are many other simi-
lar explanations of this kind. These people eventually attain the level of
the veracious [siddiq] and the veracious ones are the best of creation after
the Prophets of Allah u. They are the very roots of Taüawwuf. After this,
people changed and branched out into three distinct types:
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THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF SUFIS
The sufis of Good Character [ýufiyyat al-Khalóiq]: They are the group
mentioned above.
The Materialist sufis [ýufiyyat al-Arzóq]: They live in the sanctum and
few of them have knowledge of the realities of Taüawwuf. For them, there
are three conditions:
1 They fulfill the obligations of Dõn and abstain from all pro-
hibited acts.
2 They possess the proprieties of the elders of this path.
3 They do not involve themselves in the material world more
than is required. They possess good qualities and do not
hoard wealth or commit sins.
Pretenders: They are only sufi by name. Their purpose is nothing more
than wearing the dress of the sufis and contriving new things, etc. They
are like an ignoramus wearing the dress of a scholar or martyr. They have
learned a few words and sayings from here and there and convince people
that they are also sufis, though they are nothing of the sort.
@
KEY TO PARADISE
Shaikh Shihób al-Dõn Suhrwardõ mentions the hadith of Ibn ‘Umar g [in
his book] that the Blessed Prophet s said, “Everything has a key and the
key to Paradise is love for the downtrodden [masókõn]. These people will be
in the company of Allah u on the Day of Judgment.”
Thus, dependence on Allah u [faqar] is one major aspect of
Taüawwuf and Taüawwuf stands on dependence on Allah u. Shaikh
Ruwaim said:
Taüawwuf is based on three qualities:
1 To be imbued with dependence and powerlessness [iútiój]
2 To spend in the path of Allah u and to sacrifice for Him
3 To refrain from involvement in others’ affairs and to abstain
from whatever one loves.
149
Shaikh Junaid was once asked, “What is Taüawwuf?” He replied, “To
establish a direct relationship with Allah u” and Shaikh Ma‘rñf Karkhõ
said, “Taüawwuf means to understand the realities and to lose hope in
what others have.” Therefore, whoever has not attained the quality of de-
pendence on Allah u, his Taüawwuf is not true Taüawwuf. Shaikh ûasan
Baürõ said, “I met seventy Companions l who participated in the battle
of Badr who wore üñf [wool].” [i.e, they depended exclusively on Allah u]
@
ENDNOTES
1 Bukhārī, al-Dõn Yusr
2 Muüannaf Ibn Abõ Shaiba, 3/270, Tafsõr al-Rózõ, 6/134
3 Shóh Niþóm al-Dõn gained purification of heart from his shaikh who was Shóú Abñ
Sa‘õd’s grandfather. Shóú Abñ Sa‘õd is now asking Shóh Niþóm al-Dõn to grant him
the spiritual wealth he had taken from his grandfather.
4 Mishkót al-Maüóbõú, p. 31
5 Abñ Dówñd, Mó Jó’ fī Nuqüón al-ýalót
6 2:72
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__
Chapter Thirteen
Meditative Devotions
and Temporal Spiritual States
@
PANACEA FOR THE HEART
The greatest of all meditative devotions is the dhikr of Allah u and
the greatest of dhikrs is the testament of faith, ló ilóha illa Allóh. This
is why dhikr is central to all the paths [Chishtiyya, Naqshbandiyya etc.]
though the methodology differs amongst them. It is similar to how tra-
ditional doctors prescribe different dosages of a medicine with specific
instructions. For example, I have observed a strange thing amongst the
traditional doctors that a patient is prescribed something by one doctor
but does not get better. He goes to another doctor who keeps the same
prescription, but makes small changes in the dosage and timing. It is
amazing that he became better after a few small changes to the same
prescription. I have seen this happen not once but many times.
Below is a letter reproduced from Tadhkirat al-Rashõd, in which Shai-
kh Rashõd Gangohī responds to Shaikh Thānwī [who compared the con-
ditions for permissibility of celebration of the Blessed Prophet’s s birth
[mõlód] to the restrictions and specifications in meditative devotions {that
are means of achieving the nisba of Allah u}]:
The specifications and restrictions devised by the spiritual mas-
ters in the meditative devotions are not innovations. It is shocking
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from someone as intelligent as yourself to make analogies between
the conditions for the permissibility of celebration of the Blessed
Prophet’s s birth upon the meditative devotions when you know
that attainment of a nisba is an order of Allah u [ma’mñr min Allóh]
while celebration of the Blessed Prophet’s s birth is not. Although
this order of Allah u is a ‘doubtful universal’ [kullõ mushaqqiq]
1

the lowest state of which is obligatory [õmón] and the highest desir-
able [iúsón], it is incorrect to analogize celebration of the Blessed
Prophet’s s birth, which is an innovation, with the meditative de-
votions. Numerous aúódõth and ayas prove that attaining a nisba is
an order of Allah u. Allah u [in the ayas of the Qur’an] and the
Blessed Prophet s [in the aúódõth] demonstrated the nisba in every
way possible by which it becomes abundantly clear that the whole
Shari‘a is actually a manifestation of the nisba. This is something
we cannot dwelve into because it would become a lengthy discus-
sion. If you think deeply you will observe how every aya and hadith
[implictly or explicitly] manifests the nisba.
Therefore, when there is so much overwhelming evidence of it being
an order of Allah u, then the methods devised and specified to fulfill this
order of Allah u will also be an order of Allah u.
One method may be favored over another depending on the times.
Thus, in one period, the nisba was easily achieved through üalót, recita-
tion of the Qur’an, and the dhikrs narrated in the aúódõth. Though the
newly devised methods of meditative devotions were permissible during
that period, they were certainly not necessary to achieve the nisba. How-
ever, after some time, people changed [i.e., the faith became weak, taqwó
disappeared and people became enamored with the material world] and
it became worse successively as time passed and as people moved further
away from the time of the golden era. The method of nisba achieved in
such an era would differ from the method of nisba achieved in the golden
era. In this period, the nisba could not be achieved through üalót or fasting,
therefore the physicians of the esoteric devised certain conditions, fine-
tuning the amount and frequency of dhikr and other such things accord-
ing to the people of that time. Since the nisba in this period could not be
achieved in any other way, these conditions and specifications cannot be
called innovations in Dõn. In fact, it would not be wrong to say that it was
obligatory because the attainment of an objective of Dõn was not possible
without them. Since the objective [attaining a strong nisba through iúsón]
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is an order of Allah u, the method [meditative devotions] of attaining it
also became an order of Allah u. Thus, it cannot be called an innovation.
Likewise, with the passage of time, another generation of people came
who were weaker than the last, and thus the method by which the nis-
ba was achieved would differ greatly from the people before them. Once
again, the method of attaining the nisba was modified and revised to help
achieve the main objective. With the passing of time this paradigm re-
peated itself and modifications were made in the methods of achieving the
nisba. It is like a traditional doctor prescribing a treatment in the winter
which, if prescribed in the summer, would become deadly. Thus, a change
of weather forces a change in the type of treatment. The treatments used
a hundred years ago, found in the older books of medicine, are not potent
enough to treat people today. Modifications in these treatments comply
with the basic principles of traditional medicine though it opposes the pre-
scribed treatment which it modifies. In reality, this modification will not
be considered an innovation, but rather a fulfillment of the basic principles
of traditional medicine.
Another example of this is exalting the name of Allah u. You know
that spears, swords, and even stones fulfilled the military objective in the
past. The use of these weapons is even proven in the aúódõth, yet arming
oneself with these weapons today is suicide. Today, one must use guns,
rifles, and tanks [during battle, instead of using swords, bows and ar-
rows] because it is impossible to reach the objective of exalting the name of
Allah u [to preserve peace and justice] without them. Yet, no one calls
these changes innovations or declares them forbidden on the basis that
it is imitation of the disbelievers. In fact, we consider employing of ar-
maments obligatory, necessary and an order from Allah u because the
objective cannot be achieved without them. Thus, these things in them-
selves become an order from Allah u; likewise is the case with meditative
devotions.
Of the dhikrs, the most important is the statement of faith. Abñ Sa‘õd
Khudrõ g narrates that the Blessed Prophet s said, “Once, Mñsó e said
in the court of Allah u, ‘Teach me some dhikr by which I remember
you and call you.’ [He was told] ‘Say ló ilóha illa Allóh.’ Musa e replied,
‘Everyone in the world says this.’ Allah u said, ‘Say ló ilóha illa Allóh.’ ‘O
Allah u, I ask for something for myself only,’ replied Mñsó e. To this,
Allah u responded, ‘If the whole sky and earth are put on one arm of a
balance and the statement of faith on the other, the arm upon which the
statement of faith is placed will be weightier.’”
2
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THE GREATEST DHIKR: Lô ILôHA ILLA ALLôH u
I have mentioned many aúódõth on the virtues, excellence, and importance
of the statement of faith “ló ilóha illa Allóh” in my book Faðó’ il al-Dhikr.
One of the aúódõth is narrated by Jóbir g that the Blessed Prophet s said,
“The best of dhikr is ló ilóha illa Allóh.”
3
Mulla ‘Alõ Qórõ says, “There is
no doubt that the most excellent of all dhikrs is ló ilóha illa Allóh because
the entire Dõn is balanced on the fulcrum of this statement of faith.” This
is why the sufis particularly emphasize the statement of faith and prefer it
over all other dhikrs. They stress the use of this statement of faith the most
because its benefits and blessings are not to be found in any other dhikr.
The Blessed Prophet s said, “Constantly revive your faith.” The
Companions l asked, “How do we do that O Blessed Prophet s?” “Re-
cite the statement of faith abundantly.”
4
The spiritual masters prescribe
this dhikr in different ways similar to the way physicians prescribe dif-
ferent medicines for different illnesses. The “twelve tasbõú” is common
among the Chishtiyya. First, is ló ilóha illa Allóh two-hundred times, then
illa Allóh four hundred times, then Allóhu Allóh six-hundred times, and
finally Allóh, one-hundred times.
@
OBJECTIONS RAISED ABOUT DHIKR
Shaikh Thānwī writes in al-Takashshuf:
Some people object to the dhikr of ‘illa Allóh’ [‘except Allah u’]
that the ‘exception’ [mustathnó] without the ‘exception from’ [mus-
tathnó minhu] and the governing noun/verb [‘ómil ] is meaningless.
They say that if it doesn’t increase reward and is meaningless, then
why recite it?
In reply: the Blessed Prophet s said in the sermon at the con-
quest of Makka, “The grass of the Sacred Precinct [al-ûaram] should
not be cut.” ‘Abbós g asked, “O Blessed Prophet s, except sweet
rush [a type of grass] [idhkhar]?” The Blessed Prophet s replied,
“Except sweet rush.”
5
In this hadith, “except sweet rush” proves that
the governing noun/verb [‘ómil ] and ‘exception from’ [musthanó mi-
nhu] can be omitted if there is a valid reason to do so. Thus, dropping
the governing noun/verb, ló, and the ‘exception from’, ilóha, from
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illa Allóh is validated by the fact that it was mentioned previously or
that the belief of the recitor furnishes the missing governing noun/
verb and ‘exception from’.
6
Another reply is that the dhikr of ló ilóha illa Allóh preceded the
dhikr of illa Allóh. Thus, each time illa Allóh is recited the govern-
ing noun/verb and the ‘exception from’ will be included implicitly.
When there is no proof that repetition of illa Allóh is restricted to
any specific amount, thus the more one recites the better and more
effective. Therefore, it is narrated that the Companions l said in
certain instances,
َتَ كَس ُهَ تْيَل اَنْل ُ ق يّ تَح اَهُرّر َ كُي َ لا َ ز اَم
The Blessed Prophet s repeated it until we wished he were quiet.
7
Examples of such repetition are observed in the aúódõth. In one
incident, a disbeliever said the statement of faith in the battlefield
as Usóma g was raising his sword to kill him. Usóma g still went
ahead and killed him, assuming he said the statement of faith to
save his life. When the Blessed Prophet s heard of this, he called
Usóma g and asked him, “How are you going to respond when be
brings the statement of faith on the Day of Judgment,”
8
and repeated
this several times.
In one chapter of Mishkāt al-Maüóbõú, the Blessed Prophet s
said, “There is one such act by which Allah u will elevate the lev-
el of his servants in Paradise, the distance between each level be-
ing equivalent to the distance between the earth and the skies.” A
Companion g asked, “What is it O Blessed Prophet s?” The
Blessed Prophet s replied, “Struggle in the path of Allah u, strug-
gle in the path of Allah u, struggle in the path of Allah u!”
9
He repeated it three times. There are hundreds of such aúódõth
in the books known to the teachers and students of aúódõth in which
one word is mentioned repeatedly.
Likewise, some people object to the dhikr of ‘Allah u, Allah u’
because they say ‘Allah u’ is singular. They say that when it is nei-
ther informative [khabriyya] nor formative [inshó’õ]
10
then what is its
benefit? However, if we look in the hadith we find the blessed name
of Allah u used in the singular as in the narration of Muslim, “The
Day of Judgment will not occur until there is none in the world to
155
say Allah u, Allah u.”
11
As this hadith indicates, it is permissible
to say the name of Allah u repeatedly. It should also be known that
a meaning of a word should not be judged linguistically only [i.e.
as formative and informative]. After all, how can it be meaningless
when the purpose is to gain blessings and benefit? Allah u says:
َكّبَر َمْسا ِ ر ُ كْ ذاَو
And remember the name of your Lord.
12
In this aya, the dhikr of our Creator includes utterance of His
name. Another explanation for this is that the vocative noun [úarf al-
nidó] has been omitted as is common in the Arabic language. Men-
tion of the vocative [as in saying ‘O Allah u’] is to indicate yearning
[shauq] for something whereas the omission of it (as in ‘Allah u’ by
itself ) is for enjoyment.
Shaikh Thānwī writes in Bawódir:
The closest thing to my heart on this topic is the example of when
someone recites the Qur’an. When someone reads the Qur’an for
recitation, he is obligated to recite the way it has been transmitted
to us [through the pious predecessors]. Reciting in any other way is
an innovation. Though, sometimes the purpose of reading Qur’an is
not to recite but to memorize. The example of this is how one word
or aya is repeated several times. One is not obligated to know the
method of the pious predecessors in memorizing the Qur’an. We are
not required to find out how the pious predecessors used to memo-
rize the Qur’an and make sure we follow the transmitted method.
Likewise, in the dhikr, sometimes the dhikr itself is the objective.
If this is the case, then one must take care to follow the transmitted
method. However, if the purpose is not worship but to achieve a cer-
tain state [iúsón], then it is not conditional to follow a methodology
of the pious predecessors [even if there is one]. Now, the prescribed
repetitions of illa Allóh and Allah u are not objectives. The purpose
of these prescribed repetitions is to create and establish a certain feel-
ing; and that is that nothing besides Allah u exists, and to slowly
increase one’s concentration on Allah u alone. Therefore, in the
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beginning [before we begin the dhikr] we perceive the existence of
everything around us but as we impress the dhikr of ‘there is no
god but Allah u [ló ilóha illa Allóh]’ we negate the existence of
everything around us and instill this negation into our heart. As we
progress in this negation, we inculcate the certainty of His essence
in our mind by repeating the dhikr of illa Allóh. But certainty of the
essence of Allah u is itself relative to the essence of Allah u so we
reach higher for the essence of Allah u itself by firmly embedding
Him in the heart through the dhikr of ‘Allóhu Allóh’ When one de-
votes himself to the dhikr of ‘Allóhu Allóh’, the love of everything be-
sides Allah u leaves the heart and this person becomes absorbed in
Allah u only. When this feeling permeates the heart, the dhikr of
‘Allóhu Allóh’ intensifies and helps him realize his goal quickly; and
this is the reason for which the dhikr of Allah u is prescribed.
By the grace of Allah u, this article removes all objections on
this topic and proves that the accusation about the dhikr of Allah u
being an innovation stems from a lack of understanding on this issue.
Now only one question remains and that is that will one gain reward
for this type of dhikr? In reply, we ask: Will the person who repeats
the words of the Qur’an to memorize it, gain reward for memoriza-
tion? The answer to the first is the same for the second. According
to the rules, the combined answer to both these questions is that
though one may not gain reward for repeating recitation [of an aya]
and dhikr, preparation for a perfect recitation and dhikr [in which
one attains full benefit spiritually] is surely rewarding.
157
@
ENDNOTES
1 A term of logic made up of two parts, ‘doubtful’ [mushaqqaq] and ‘universal’ [kullõ].
Universal—is that which is contrary to a particular. For example, faith is common
to all Muslims; therefore, faith is a universal.
Doubtful—is the meaning of that noun which applies to some of an individual
kind [e.g., man] more forcibly, and in preference to others. For example, the nisba
is universal to all Muslims [because without it one would not be Muslim] but is
more pronounced in some Muslims than others, such as the friends of Allah. The
aforementioned discussion proves that nisba is a ‘doubtful universal.’
2 Mustadrak, Kitób al-Duó‘ wa al-Takbõr
3 Tirmidhõ, Mó Jó anna Da‘wat al-Muslim
4 Musnad Aúmad, 14/327 | Mustadrak , Kitób al-Tauba wa al-Inóba
5 Bukhórõ, al-Idhkar wa al-ûashõsh fi al-Qabr
6 Since every Muslim believes ‘there is no God but Allah u’, his saying illa Allóh (but
Allah u) will spell out as meaning ‘there is no God but Allah u.’
7 Bukhórõ, Mó Qóla fõ Shahódat al-Zñr
8 Muslim, Taúrīm Qatl al-Kófir
9 Muslim, Bayón mó A‘adda Allah li al-Mujóhid
10 Informative—is a sentence which provides information of any kind.
Formative—is a sentence which seeks to produce new information e.g, a question,
an order, or exclamation.
11 Muslim, Dhihób al-ömón
12 73:8
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__
Chapter Fourteen
Visualization of the Mentor
[Taüawwur-e-Shaikh]
@
EVIDENCE OF VISUALIZATION OF MENTOR
Another name for visualization of the mentor [tasawwur-e-shaikh] is
shugl-e-róbiøa, barzakh, and wósiøa [in Urdu]
1
. Visualization of the men-
tor is one of the most important meditative devotions to the masters
of Sulñk and they have praised it for its various benefits. Some of the
elders forbade it except under certain circumstances. However, this is
not correct in this servant’s opinion because of the numerous aúódõth in
evidence of it. Therefore, I cannot understand those who say it is forbid-
den. In regards to applying perfume in the state of wearing haj attire
[iúróm], ‘Ā’isha j says:
ملسو هيلع لا ىلص ّيِ بّنلا ِقِ رْ فَم يِف ِ بي ّ طلا ِ صيِبَو ىَلِإ ُر ُ ظْنَ أ يّن َ أَ ك
I can almost see the glint of perfume in the parting of the Blessed
Prophet’s s hair.
2
In a narration by Ibn Mas‘ñd g in al-Takashshuf, [with references
from Bukhórõ and Muslim], he says:
159
ملسو هيلع لا ىلص ِهّللا ِ لوُسَر ىَلِإ ُر ُ ظْنَ أ ىّن َ أَ ك
It is as if I see the Blessed Prophet s.
3
‘Abd Allóh ibn Mas‘ñd g is narrating this hadith while recalling how
once the Blessed Prophet s narrated a story of one of the prophets who
was murdered by his people.
Under the chapter of ‘the narrations on silver rings’, Abñ Dówñd
narrates a hadith by ‘Alõ g that the Blessed Prophet s said, “Read this
supplication often: Allóhumma ahdinõ wa saddidnõ (O Allah u, give me
guidance and make me steadfast). When you say, ahdinõ (give me guid-
ance) visualize the path of guidance and when you say, saddidnī (make me
steadfast) visualize the straightening of an arrow.”
4
In Badhl al-Majhñd, my spiritual mentor and guide, Shaikh Khalīl
Aúmad Sahāranpñrī, explained:
By ‘imagine yourself on the path of guidance’ try to visualize a per-
son walking on a straight path without turning right or left. If he
turns right or left, he cannot reach his destination. Likewise, when
imagining guidance, think that walking straight is a condition for
reaching the destination. When you say ‘saddõd’ and imagine ‘the
straightening of an arrow,’ imagine that Allah u is rectifying and
removing any crookedness that is within me.
In the commentary of Abñ Dówñd, Shaikh Rashõd Aúmad Gangohī
says:
The reason the Blessed Prophet s asked us to imagine these things is
to keep our thoughts focused. And also because visualizing tangible
objects is easier than visualization of intangible ones. The reason the
Blessed Prophet s told us that one should imagine an arrow and a
path while supplicating is to prevent stray thoughts from distracting
a person. This also indicates the permissibility of visualizing ones
mentor because the status of a spiritual mentor is certainly not lower
than an arrow. There is also no harm in love of the mentor entering
the heart when he is visualizing him. However, it is dangerous and
harmful to imagine the spiritual mentor actually effecting changes
in the heart, to believe he is omnipresent, or that he is aware of his
Visualization of the Mentor
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160
inner state. This is why the spiritual masters disagree about visualiza-
tion of the spiritual mentor. This discussion though is only rhetorical
because those who say it is permissible are looking at the first part
while those who say it is forbidden are referring to the latter issue [i.e.,
to believe the spiritual mentor is ever-present]. Though when the
later scholars saw that it lead to corruption in the belief of Muslims,
they forbade it in general, and this is correct in light of the condition
of the community.
There are many narrations of this kind in the books of aúódõth. In
ûayót al-ýaúóba, under the chapter of ‘the reality of faith’, the Blessed
Prophet s asks ûórith ibn Mólik g in his narration, “How was your
morning?” He replied, “In the state of being a true believer.” The Blessed
Prophet s asked, “What is the reality of your true faith?” He replied, “I
turned away from the world…and I see the throne of my Lord and the
dwellers of Paradise visiting each other; I also hear the screaming of the
dwellers of Hellfire.”
The Blessed Prophet s said, “He is a believer whose heart has been
illuminated.”
5
In another narration he asked Muódh g the same question. He re-
plied, “I woke up in the state of faith.” The Blessed Prophet s asked him,
“What is the reality of your faith?” He replied, “When I wake up in the
morning, I see a nation on its knees. They are being called toward their
book of deeds along with their prophets and the idols they worshipped. I
see the punishment of the dwellers of Hellfire and the reward of the dwell-
ers of Paradise.”
6
In Shamó’ il, ‘Aun ibn Abõ Juúaifa narrates from his father, “I saw the
Blessed Prophet s in red clothing. I can almost see the radiance of his
blessed ankles before my very eyes.”
7
Likewise, Anas g narrates, “I can see
the white gleam of his ring before my very eyes.”
8
There are numerous nar-
rations related to visualization of different things in the books of aúódõth.
For this reason, it is difficult to say that visualization of the spiritual men-
tor is completely forbidden, though it will be forbidden if it leads to some-
thing forbidden. Otherwise, it is an excellent antidote for stray thoughts
and a person stricken by blind love [for a woman].
161
@
BENEFICIAL FOR THE ADVANCED
DANGEROUS FOR BEGINNERS
In Ta‘ līm al-Dīn, it says:
The books on this subject state this much: that visualization of the
countenance of the spiritual mentor and his qualities develops love
in the heart and strengthens the nisba with his Lord; and this strong
nisba produces many blessings. Some of the authorities in this field
say little [on the subject of visualization of the mentor] except that
one thought repels another. So, visualizing one’s mentor repels the
stray thoughts and navigates the thought towards Allah u.
Anyhow, whatever benefits and wisdom there may be in visualization
of the spiritual mentor, my experience has shown me that this spiritual
devotion is beneficial for the advanced and perilous for the novices be-
cause it takes them towards image-worship. Imam Ghazólõ and other au-
thorities in the science of Taüawwuf prohibit the general public and the
feebleminded from performing any devotions which produce clairvoyance.
Therefore, the public should be stopped from this and if the advanced
and more knowledgeable try this they should be careful not to exceed its
boundaries. They should not believe their mentor watches over them or is
there to help them in times of need. However, it is possible for one to see
his mentor when he visualizes him regularly. Sometimes, the image he sees
is a figment of his imagination, but at other times, an inspiration from
Allah u that appears in the form of his spiritual mentor, though the men-
tor himself is unaware of it. Many people make mistakes in this regard.
Shaikh Madanī writes:
Visualization of the mentor prevents one from the whisper of Satan
and evil thoughts, and produces remarkable feelings, though the
spiritual mentor is completely unaware of it. The mentor is neither
intending to help him nor is his attention turned towards his student.
These are natural influences that Allah u has created to save one
from the whispers of Satan and to allow the blessings of Allah u to
descend upon him. Since people often err in this matter, the wise ones
[úukamó] are exceptionally careful in this regard otherwise, from the
Shari‘a viewpoint, numerous narrations prove it is permissible.
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In another letter, Shaikh Madanī writes:
Though Shāh Ismaīl Shāhõd
9
prohibited visualization of the spiri-
tual mentor as it produced negative consequences at times, it was
narrated to me through Shāh ‘Abd al-Ghanõ Mujaddadõ that he
was not opposed to it. When some of his confidants asked of its
permissibility, he narrated the hadith of ûasan g as evidence
in which ûasan g asked his [maternal] uncle Hind ibn Abõ
Hóla g, “I asked about the countenance and [physical] attributes
of the Blessed Prophet s.’
10
This clearly proves that he wished to
replicate an image of the Blessed Prophet s in his mind and this
is exactly what visualization is.” This hadith is narrated in detail in
Shamó’ il al-Tirmidhõ, and if one wishes to read the translation he
may refer to my book, Khaüó’ il al-Nabawõ. In the commentary of
this hadith it says, “I wished he would narrate some of his beauti-
ful attributes to me that I make their mention a source of love and
connection for myself, and if possible I will make effort to imbue
these attributes within me.”
In another place Shaikh Madanī writes:
To create an image of something in Arabic is called taüawwur [visu-
alization], regardless of whether the image is animate or inanimate,
a specific person or any person, any mentor or one’s own mentor,
mothers or fathers, and regardless of whether the visualizing of this
image is beneficial or not. In convention, however, visualization
of the mentor refers to creating and then maintaining the image
of an exalted mentor. By consensus, it is permissible to create and
envision an image of one’s Shaikh. In fact, it is beneficial. The
Companions l and the Blessed Prophet s were favorable towards
it; ûasan g also asked his uncle Hind ibn Abõ Hóla g on many
occasions about the Blessed Prophet s and created an image in his
mind through the description he was given. The Blessed Prophet s
also described the clothing and characteristics of Mñsó e, ösó e,
and Ibróhõm e to the Companions l, which clearly proves that
the purpose was to create an image of these blessed prophets in the
minds of the Companions l.
163
After this, Shaikh Madanī narrates many aúódõth in which the Blessed
Prophet s described the countenance, characteristics, and traits of the
different prophets of Allah u. Therefore, in one narration the Blessed
Prophet s says about Mñsó e, “He was of darker complexion and with
curly hair, as if I see him at this moment riding a red camel and passing
through a valley.”
11
Shaikh Madanī comments:
Many authentic narrations of this kind not only prove the permissi-
bility of visualization of the spiritual mentor, but also indicate that it
is desirable and has many benefits. Otherwise, had it been forbidden,
the Blessed Prophet s would not have described them and would
have unequivocally forbade it. It is because of these benefits that the
spiritual mentors instituted visualization of the mentor and designed
a methodology to derive its full benefits.
@
METHOD OF VISUALIZATION
Shaikh al-Hāj Imdād Allóh wrote to his successor, Shaikh Qósim Nónautwõ:
If time permits, sit in solitude after Fajr, Maghrib, or ‘Ishó’ üalót in
a room, empty out your heart of all thoughts, and focus on this:
Imagine yourself sitting in front of your spiritual mentor and that
the bountiful blessings of Allah u are transferring from his heart to
yours. If you enjoy it and feel like continuing, then do so; otherwise
do dhikr of Allah u in negation [ló Ilóha] and affirmation [illa Al-
lóh] in a mid-tone. Continue this for approximately two hours.
In another letter to Shaikh Nónautwõ, he writes:
If you have time after Fajr or Maghrib, spend a little time in medita-
tion [muróqaba]. Envision yourself sitting in front of your spiritual
mentor and that something is emanating from his heart into yours. If
Allah u wills, there will be spiritual attention on you from this side
[i.e., from al-Hāj Imdād Allóh]. If the mercy of Allah u is with us
you will see benefit, if Allah u wills. Please do not worry.
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Shóh Walõ Allóh Dehlawõ says in al-Qaul al-Jamõl:
The spiritual masters of the Chishtiyya say the greatest objective is to
imbue the heart with love and respect for the mentor and to visual-
ize it. I tell you that there are manifestations of Allah u. Thus, He
manifests Himself as the worshipped one before the feebleminded
and intelligent when they worship Him. In view of His greatness
and secrets, the Shari‘a has explained His being in the direction of
the qibla and sitting on the throne [‘arsh]. The Blessed Prophet s
said, “Do not spit in front of you whenever anyone of you prays üalót
because Allah u is between him and the qibla.” O seeker, there is
no harm if you set your sight on and hope in none but Allah u. Also
there is no harm in you imagining nothing but His throne and the
light surrounding His throne. This light is bright like the illumined
hue of the moon. Also, there is no harm if you do not concentrate
yourself on anything but the qibla. The permissibility of all this is
indicated in the aforementioned hadith; and one has practiced upon
this hadith if he brings anyone of these [aforementioned] scenarios to
mind. And Allah u knows best.
@
DRAWING THE LINE BETWEEN PERMISSIBLE
AND IMPERMISSIBLE
Then Shaikh Madanī says after a long article, “This method of visualiza-
tion of the mentor is a tradition inherited from the pious predecessors
and which yielded powerful results until people came in the latter era
who abused it and exceeded its permissible limits. They began adding new
things which caused major corruption and deviated from the straight path.”
After this, Shaikh Madanī narrates four or five fatwas from Fatówa-e-
Rashõdiyya and some excerpts from the letters of Shaikh Qósim Nónautwõ,
and then writes:
In brief, the need to eliminate evil thoughts and the whispers of
Satan and to strengthen the willpower, especially in worship, is
so important that it need not even be mentioned. Since the ef-
fects of visualizing the mentor are profoundly advantageous in this
respect, experience and evidence led the elders of the community
165
to put this into practice. The community benefited tremendously
from this until some pretenders came in the latter age who added
forbidden things to it. One example of this is the belief that the
spiritual mentor is omnipresent or the danger of a seeker becom-
ing so fixated with the image of the spiritual mentor that he be-
comes unmindful of the ultimate goal and his true Creator. Other
examples include believing that the mentor is like the house of
Allah u, üalót should be prayed towards him, and belief that the
mentor can change the condition of his heart, aggrandizement of
the spiritual mentor, or worshipping the spiritual mentor’s image
as is common among many ignorant followers of the pseudo-sufis.
Therefore, it became incumbent on the elders to study the situation
and uproot this method of polytheism and disbelief. Anyhow, this
practice is generally forbidden and unnecessary. When giving fatwa
or putting it into practice one should first think it over and then
decide wisely.
@
AN ANECDOTE
It is narrated in Arwóú-e-Thalótha that Sayyid Aúmad Shāhõd
12
went to
Shāh ‘Abd al-‘Azõz, who instructed him to begin visualizing his mentor.
When Sayyid Aúmad Shāhõd politely refused, Shāh ‘Abd al-‘Azõz recited
this Persian poem:
Wet your place of prayer with wine
if the tavern-keeper so tells you,
Because the spiritual mentor is not uninformed
of the different stations of the Path
[i.e. you may think visualization of the spiritual mentor is polytheism, but
you should trust the spiritual mentor because he knows better what is ben-
eficial for you though it may seem otherwise.]
Sayyid Aúmad Shāhõd replied, “I will commit sin if you say so, but
never polytheism.” Shāh ‘Abd al-‘Azõz hugged him and said, “That’s fine,
we will take you through the path of prophethood; you are not congruous
with the path of friendship [wilóya].”
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I have heard an incident related to the aforementioned poem from my
elders. Once, a student asked the meaning of this poem. At first Shāh
‘Abd al-‘Azõz said, “Don’t worry about such things, just keep to your
studies.” But when he insisted, Shaikh gave him ten rupees and said, “Go
to a brothel and ask the owner if there is any girl available.” At first the
student was baffled and hesitated, but since he himself had asked he felt
obliged to go. The owner said, “A beautiful girl has arrived, she is in such
and such room. I will go and talk to her.” He went to her, convinced her,
and came back to tell the student, “She is willing, but you will have to
come at night.”
When the student arrived at her room that night, the girl was sitting
crying, her head hung low. The student was astonished. He insisted he
had not forced her, but she cried even more. The student didn’t know what
to do. He insisted she tell him why she was crying, but she refused. This
continued for some time. Finally, she gave in and said, “I am an oppressed
woman and have been treated unjustly. I have been without food for many
days now and am wandering here and there. My husband left me and went
somewhere and I do not know where he is. I have been looking for him for
many months now.”
He asked the name of her husband and where he was from. She discov-
ered that the student standing in front of her was her husband. He asked
her, “Raise your head and look at me.” When she looked up they recognized
each other. One night, the student had quietly slipped out of his house
because of his desire to seek knowledge. The student stayed there the entire
night. In the morning, he came to Shaikh and said, “The poem is true.”
[Translator: The mentor is informed of things that seem sinful, as in
the example of sending him to the brothel, but which turn out beneficial
to the seeker, as in the example of finding his wife.]
I have heard other stories similar to this from my elders. The condi-
tion, however, is that the narrator is truly a spiritual mentor, an authentic
scholar of Shari‘a and Taüawwuf, and is informed of the secrets of the
Creator. This is not the job of any claimant to piety and greatness.
@
SHAIKH GANGOHö’S SPIRITUALITY
Once, Shaikh Gangohī was in a fiery mood when the issue of visual-
izing the spiritual mentor came up. He asked, “Should I say it?” When
he was requested to speak, he again asked, “Should I say it?” When he
167
was again requested to speak, he said, “For three full years, the image
of my spiritual mentor, al-Hāj Imdād Allāh , has been in my heart and
I have never done anything without asking him first.” Then he became
even more passionate and asked louder, “Should I say it?” “Please do,”
was the request. He said, “For many years the Blessed Prophet s has
been in my heart and I never did anything without consulting him first.”
Having said this he became even more spirited and asked, “Should I say
it?” “Please do,” was the request. But he remained quiet and when people
insisted, he said, “Forget it.” The next day when people insisted, he said,
“Then iúsān was achieved.”
In the commentary, Shaikh Thānwī says:
And the reason he repeatedly asked, ‘Should I say it?’ was probably
to check people’s eagerness, to test them, and see if they truly would
be able to accept a reality that was otherwise unacceptable. And the
reason he avoided repeating the question the second time over may
be because there was no need to. And the first time he asked is be-
cause the answer is absorbed better in the heart when one is eager to
know something. And consultation with an image is the power of
the psyche and it sometimes happens that the soul assimilates itself
to a corporeal entity. It is evident that the continuity of this thought
does not justify belief in that the spiritual mentor is ever-present and
that one is being guided by him in that state. After that, when he said,
‘forget it,’ and deferred the matter [of mentioning iúsón] to the next
day may be because people [who look at these type of spiritual states
superficially] don’t consider the third state of iúsān to be higher than
the first two. Therefore, people would not understand the impor-
tance and greatness of one who has reached the level of iúsān. Upon
insistence, though, his reply clarified that the last state is actually
higher than the first two. This is because iúsān is an objective and
a perpetual spiritual state while the first two are non-objectives and
only transient experiences. In that case, the difference between them
is great. And if this doesn’t explain why he deferred, then it must be
that he didn’t disclose it because [he knew] the public wouldn’t be
able to comprehend it. Perhaps it is one of the manifestations of the
Creator; something so magnificent that it would only raise objec-
tions, the way the secrets of the sufis raise objections for people who
look at the outward only.
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@
ENDNOTES
1 Talõm al-Dõn
2 Bukhórõ, Man Taøayyaba
3 Muslim, Ghazwat al-Uúud
4 Abñ Dówñd, mó Jó fõ Khatam al-ûadõd
5 Muüannaf Abd al-Razzóq, 11/129
6 al-Baúr al-Madõd, under 7/187 | Musnad al-Shihób, kaifa Aübaúta yó Mu‘ódh
7 Shamó’il, mó Jó fõ Libós
8 Shamó’il, mó Jó fõ Dhikr Khótam
9 Shóh Muúammud Ismó’õl Shahõd (1779-1831) was born in Phulat, India. His passion
and firm belief in the oneness of Allah u [tauúõd] was unequalled. Due to his
passionate love for the oneness of Allah u, he was anguished by the rituals and
superstitions common amongst Muslims. As a powerful speaker, he preached
against grave-worship, veneration of saints and other such heretical rituals. He
helped eradicate many of the superstitions Muslims had adopted from Hinduism
and brought them back to the oneness of Allah u.
10 Shamó’il, mó Jó fõ Khuluq
11 al-Sunan al-Kubró li al-Baihaqõ, Dukhñl Makka bi ghair Iróda
12 Sayyid Aúmad Shahīd (1786-1831) was born in Delhi, India. He was strict upon
the Sunna and intolerant of innovations and even anything that was questionable
as innovation. His aim in life was to eliminate innovations from the Indian
subcontinent and he spent most of his life doing so. Due to his strict adherence to
the Shari‘a, intolerance of customs, and forceful personality he quickly became a
polarized figure who was either revered or hated, both by scholars and the public.
He spent the last years of his life touring the country with his followers establishing
the Sunna wherever he went. He was martyred in in the battle of Bólakote fighting
against a superior Sikh force that was aided and abetted by Muslim chiefs who saw
the loss of their power by his call to the Qur’an and Sunna.
169
__
Chapter Fifteen
Clairvoyance of the Heart [Kashf al-ýudñr]
and the Graves [Kashf al-Qubñr]
@
CLAIRVOYANCE: NOT AN OBJECTIVE OF THE PATH
Clairvoyance regularly occurs amongst the masters of Sulñk. These
clairvoyance’s are usually brought on by spiritual exertions while some-
times it is purely a bestowment of Allah u. Clairvoyances are not
limited to Taüawwuf because any person who exerts himself spiritually
[Muslim or non-Muslim] can have clairvoyance. This is why clairvoy-
ance is not taken seriously by the spiritual masters; in fact they disregard
it completely. Sometimes when seekers begin experiencing clairvoyances
their mentors may stop them from spiritual exertions.
It is written in ôp Bõtõ that:
One of my close friends, Shaikh ‘Abd al-Raúmón Gangohī, was also
one of my father’s favorite students in Gangoh. He moved with my
father when my father moved permanently to Saharónpñr [Maþóhir
al-‘Ulñm], and studied the books of hadith in Maþóhir al-‘Ulñm.
Finally, he took bai‘a with my mentor, Shaikh Sahāranpñrī. He was
strict on his daily prescribed devotions. He was an imam of one of
the masjids in Kasolõ near Shimla where he taught children Qur’an.
As I was the one who mainly wrote my shaikh’s letters [and therefore
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
170
had to read the letters sent to him], I saw that his spiritual condition
were lofty. In one letter he wrote about some of his clairvoyance’s
and lofty states. After reading this letter, I truly thought that Shaikh
would give him successorship, but instead he replied, “Stop all the
meditative devotions and the dhikrs except the obligatory acts and
emphasized Sunnas.”
Even when clairvoyance came from Allah u, my elders considered
it an obstruction in the path of Taüawwuf. My mentor said, “It is like a
person walking on a path with lush gardens and rosebushes on both sides.
If he stops to enjoy the beauties of the garden and continues to do so, he
will not arrive at his destination [i.e., he will arrive late].”
This is why my elders generally disliked the clairvoyances. There were
both types amongst my elders, those who didn’t see clairvoyance like my
mentor and then those who saw them regularly like Shāh ‘Abd al-Raúõm.
I have heard the statement of Shaikh Thānwī many times that, “I have
no problem sitting with Shaikh al-Hind, Mahmñd al-ûasan and Shaikh
Khalīl Aúmad, but I can’t sit in the gatherings of Shāh ‘Abd al-Raúõm;
who knows what is disclosed to him.”
I have also heard on various occasions that there were both types
among the seekers of Shaikh Gangohī. Shaikh Siddõq Aúmad Ambhetwõ
had many clairvoyances though my spiritual mentor had none. Since
this is something one achieves after exhaustive spiritual exertions, forty
day retreats and holding of the breath [úabs al-nafas], the elders do not
consider clairvoyance a fundamental of Sulñk though it is not contrary
to the Shari‘a either.
@
CLAIRVOYANCE OF THE GRAVE
The Blessed Prophet s passed by two graves and heard the punishment
of the grave. One of them was being punished because he was not careful
about urine and the other because of his calumniation of people. This
is a famous hadith which has been narrated in all the hadith books. In
Mishkāt al-Maüóbõú, under the chapter of ‘Certainty of the Punishment of
the Grave,’ Zaid ibn Thóbit g narrates that the Blessed Prophet s went
to a garden on his donkey. Suddenly, the donkey broke into a gallop and
the Blessed Prophet s lost balance and almost fell off. There were four or
five graves in that garden where the deceased were suffering punishment
171
of the grave. The Blessed Prophet s said, “I fear you will stop burying
the dead otherwise I would supplicate that Allah u allow you to hear the
punishment of the grave.”
1
In another hadith, it is narrated that the grave closed upon S‘ad ibn
Muódh g. The Blessed Prophet s said, “The grave closed upon S‘ad
ibn Muódh g, then Allah u opened it by its blessings [of the tasbõú and
takbõr].”
2
In another hadith of Mishkāt al-Maüóbõú, Ibn ‘Abbós g nar-
rates, “Once, some Companions l pitched their tents in one place. They
did not know there was a grave where they had camped. Suddenly, they
heard somebody recite Sñrat al-Mulk. When the Blessed Prophet s was
informed he said, ‘Sñrat al-Mulk saves from the punishment of the grave.’”
3
In ûayót al-ýaúóba, there is a long story about a youth who was very
pious, performed a lot of worship, and spent most of his time in the masjid.
Once, he prayed his ‘Ishó’ and went home. On his way he saw a beautiful
woman who fell in love with him and who always sat in wait for him on
the way. Once she seduced him and he went along with her. When they
reached the door and the woman went inside, he was about to step in when
he returned to his senses by the blessings of the dhikr of Allah u and
recited this aya:
Surely, when the God-fearing are touched by any instigation from
Satan, they become conscious [of Allah u], and at once they discern
[the reality].
4
He then fell unconscious. The woman called her slave-girl to help pick
him up. They dragged him to the door of his house and knocked on the
door. The old father came out and saw his son unconscious at the door. He
called his family out and they brought in the youth. Late at night, he re-
gained consciousness and his father asked him what had happened. The fa-
ther asked him, “Which aya did you recite?” The youth recited the aya and
fell unconscious again. When people shook him they found he had died.
They washed and buried him that very night. When news of this incident
reached ‘Umar g he went to the father’s house for condolences and asked,
“Why didn’t you inform me?” The father replied, “It was at night, O Amir
of the Believers.” ‘Umar g ordered, “Take me to his grave.” ‘Umar g went
with his companions to the grave and recited the following aya to the youth,
“And for the one fearful of having to stand before his Lord, there are two
gardens.”
5
When he finished reciting the aya he heard a voice from the grave
say twice, “O ‘Umar g, Allah u has granted me both of the gardens.”
6
Clairvoyance of the Heart and the Graves
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
172
In another amazing story from ûayót al-ýaúóba, once ‘Umar g
went to the graveyard of Baqõ‘ and said, “Salóm to you O People of the
Graves, listen to our situation. Your women have married again, other
people are now living in your homes, and all your wealth has been dis-
tributed.” Then he heard a voice from the unseen saying, “Now listen to
our situation. We have received whatever we prepared for the next world,
we benefited from all the money we spent in the path of Allah u, and
lost whatever we left behind.”
7
In another incident from ûayót al-ýaúóba, ‘Abd Allóh ibn ‘Umar g said:
Once, I passed by Badr and saw a man rise from a well. He had a
chain around his neck and called me repeatedly saying, ‘O ‘Abd Al-
lóh, give me water to drink.’ Then another man rose from the same
well saying, ‘Do not give him any water, he is a disbeliever.’ He then
hit him with a sword and the first man fell back into the well. I
returned to the Blessed Prophet s and told him the whole incident.
The Blessed Prophet s said, ‘That was Abñ Jahl and he will be pun-
ished in this manner until the Day of Judgment.’
8
There are many narrations of this kind of hearing voices from the
grave. Therefore, those who reject the clairvoyance’s and paranormal inci-
dents [khawóriq] are not educated in the knowledge of the aúódõth.
ûófiþ Ibn Qayyim narrated many aúódõth about voices from the grave
in his book Kitób al-Rñú. In one narration, Abñ ‘Uthmón Nahdī’ says:
Once Ibn Sõs went with a funeral procession and was wearing thin
clothe at the time. He reached a grave, prayed two units, and leaned
on the grave. He says, ‘I swear by Allah u, my heart was awake
that I suddenly heard a voice from the grave saying, ‘Get out of here
and do not hurt me. You living people do things while ignoring the
consequences of your actions, and we look for reward but cannot do
anything. The two units you prayed are more valuable to me than
such and such amount of reward.’
In another incident, Shaikh Abñ Qalõb says:
I was returning from Shóm to Basra. I got off at one place, and per-
formed the ablutions. After praying two units, I put my head on
173
a grave and fell asleep. When I awoke I saw that the deceased in
this grave [on which I had fallen asleep] was complaining about me
and saying, ‘You kept me in distress the whole night. You people do
things in the state that you are ignorant of the consequences of your
actions, and we know the consequences but are unable to do any-
thing. The two units you prayed are better than the material world
and everything in it. May Allah u give the people of the world the
best of returns. Please give them our greetings. We receive moun-
tains of light through their supplications.’
Ibn Qayyim narrates many incidents all of which cannot be repro-
duced here. Ibn Qayyim narrates:
One of my friends left his house at the time of ‘Aür and went to the
gardens. He narrates, ‘I went into the cemetery shortly before sunset.
The sun descended into the cemetery before it set in the horizon. I
saw one grave that seemed like a flame of fire around a glass dish.
The deceased was in the middle of this flame. I rubbed my eyes
thinking maybe I am seeing this in my sleep. Then I looked afar and
I saw the walls of the city and realized then that I was not sleeping at
all. I reached home, numbed by what I saw. My family brought food
for me, but I could not eat. When I returned to the city I inquired
about the grave and learned it was the grave of a cruel tax collector.
In another narration, Abñ Quðó says:
We came by a pond near the city of Basra and heard the sound of a
donkey. I went to the people of the area and asked, ‘Whose voice is
this?’ They said, ‘This was a man who would say to his mother, ‘You
always bray like a donkey’ when his mother asked him to run an
errand. Since he died, every night you hear the braying of a donkey
from his grave.
There are many eye-opening incidents of this kind.
He narrates another incident that ‘Amr ibn Dõnór said:
There was a man in our city whose sister became sick whom he vis-
ited every day. Then she died and he buried her. After the burial he
Clairvoyance of the Heart and the Graves
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
174
remembered he had left something in the grave. He took one of his
friends with him for help. They dug up the grave and found what he
had left in the grave. He then told his friend, ‘Move out of the way,
I want to see how my sister is doing.’ When he removed one of the
bricks from the niche [laúad] he saw flames of fire. He returned to
ask their mother, ‘What did my sister do her whole life?’ The mother
replied, ‘Why do you ask? She has already left the world.’ When he
insisted she said, ‘She was not punctual in her üalót and would eaves-
drop on her neighbors and spread the news to others.’
Ibn Abñ al-Dunyó says:
Someone came and asked Abñ Isúóq Fizórõ, ‘Is there any repen-
tance for a grave-robber?’ He replied, ‘When there is true repen-
tance then, yes, there is repentance for him.’ The questioner said, ‘I
was a grave-robber and I saw many people whose faces were turned
away from the qibla.’ Abñ Isúóq did not know how to reply. He
wrote to Imam Auzó‘õ, who replied, ‘These are people who turned
away from the Sunna.’
After narrating many such incidents Ibn Qayyim says:
There are many incidents of this kind which cannot be narrated here
in which Allah u revealed the punishment or the comfort of the
grave to some of his servants…and the heretics and unbelievers have
no way to disprove these incidents.
The aforementioned article was about clairvoyance of the graves. As
for clairvoyance of the heart, Ibn Qayyim writes in his book Kitó al-Rñú:
Allah u praised the people with spiritual discernment [firósa] in
this aya of the Qur’an:
َيِمّسَوَتُمْ لّل ٍتاَيل َكِلَ ذ يِف ّنِإ
Surely, in that there are signs for those who read signs.
9
175
@
SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT OF THE BELIEVER
Ibn ‘Abbós g and others say ‘mutawassimõn’ refers to people with spiritual
discernment. After quoting various ayas, Ibn Qayyim writes:
The ability to spiritually discern is only for the person who is pu-
rified from all impurities and who has established closeness to
Allah u. Such a person can see with a light that Allah u puts in his
heart. The Blessed Prophet s said, ‘Save yourself from the spiritual
discernment of the believer for he sees with the light of Allah u.’
10

Allah u gives him this spiritual discernment because of his close-
ness to Allah u i.e. when the heart is close to Allah u all the evil
thoughts that block the way from recognizing and realizing the truth
are lifted; he then gains from the lantern [mishkāt] that is close to
Allah u. The light he gains in his heart is relative to his closeness
to Allah u and he sees through this light such things which people
who are [spiritually] distant from Allah u cannot see. It is narrated
in a hadith that Allah u says:
A person cannot gain closeness to me in any way better than the obliga-
tory acts. A person gains closeness to me through the voluntary üalót
until I make him my beloved. And when I love him I become his ears
by which he hears, his eyes by which he sees, his hands by which he
holds, and his feet by which he walks. Thus, his hearing, seeing, hold-
ing, and walking happen by Me.
11
When a person reaches this stage, the person’s heart becomes like
a gleaming mirror and the reflections of the realities enter into his
heart. Then nothing of his spiritual discernment is ever wrong be-
cause when he sees through Allah u he sees only reality. When he
hears through Allah u he only hears reality. This is not the knowl-
edge of the unseen, but a knowledge that Allah u puts in his heart.
When the heart is filled with light, the bountiful blessings of this
light are seen on his limbs and the light travels from his heart to his
eye. Then he sees from the eye according to the amount of light in
his heart.
The Blessed Prophet s saw Bait al-Muqaddas from Makka.
While digging the trench in the battle of the Trench the buildings
Clairvoyance of the Heart and the Graves
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
176
of Shóm, the ramparts of the city of ýan‘ó in Yemen, and the city of
Madó’in in Persia were shown to him. The Blessed Prophet s saw
all this while sitting in Madina. When Negus died in Abyssinia, the
Blessed Prophet s was informed of it. When Sória g was fighting
in Nahówand, ‘Umar g saw him and called him from the pulpit in
Madina. When some people from the tribe of Banu Mazja arrived in
Madina, ‘Umar g looked at Ashtar Nakh‘aī up and down carefully
and asked, ’Who is he?’ People said, ‘Mólik ibn ûórith.’ He then said,
‘May Allah u destroy him. I see Muslims facing hardship because
of him [he was one of the leaders involved in the assassination of
‘Uthmón ibn ‘Affón g].’
Once, Imam Shófi‘õ and Imam Muúammad were sitting in
Masjid al-Nabawõ when a man walked in. Imam Muúammad said,
‘I think he is a carpenter.’ Imam Shófi‘õ said, ‘I think he is a black-
smith.’ They both asked him and he said, ‘I used to be a blacksmith,
now I am a carpenter.’
One youth, who lived in the company of Shaikh Junaid Bagh-
dódõ, could tell others the bad thoughts that passed through their
hearts. Somebody mentioned this to Shaikh Junaid. He asked the
youth, “What are these things people are saying about you?’ He said,
‘It is true. I want you to think of something.” Shaikh Junaid said, ‘I
thought of it.’ The youth told him what he was thinking, but Shaikh
Junaid said, “Wrong.” This happened three times. On the third try,
the youth said, “It is strange, you are speaking the truth, but I know
more about the state of my heart.” Shaikh Junaid replied, ‘You were
correct all three times. I just wanted to test you.’
Abñ Sa‘õd Kharóz said, ‘One day I entered the Sacred Precinct. At
about the same time a beggar entered with two old shawls wrapped
around him. When I saw him begging I said to myself, ‘Such people
are a burden on the world.’ He looked at me and recited the aya, ‘Be
assured that Allah u knows what is in you, therefore fear Him.’
12
When
I repented in my heart, he recited another aya, ‘Allah u is He who
accepts repentance from His slaves.’
13
A man who had gazed at a woman came to ‘Uthmón ibn
‘Affón g in his gathering. ‘Uthmón ibn ‘Affón g said, “Some peo-
ple come to me while the effects of fornication can be seen in their
eyes.” The man said, “Is there revelation after the Blessed Prophet s
has left this world?” ‘Uthmón ibn ‘Affón g replied, “No, but there
is true spiritual discernment and insight. This was the spiritual
177
discernment which Allah u puts in the hearts; when a thought
crosses their heart, Allah u makes it into reality.”
All of the aforementioned is taken from Ibn Qayyim’s book, Kitób
al-Rñú. There are many incidents similar to the one above. In his Fatwas
14
,
Ibn Taimiyya also confirms the existence of clairvoyances. He says:
‘Umar g would say, ‘Come near the mouths of the pious and listen
closely to what they say because the realities are revealed to them.’
These realities that ‘Umar g spoke of are things that Allah u re-
veals in their hearts because it is proven that the friends of Allah u
do have clairvoyances.
There are two known opinions regarding Imam Abñ ûanõfa and his
view on used water. His first opinion was that it was impure and the sec-
ond that it was pure. The reason for his first opinion was that he could see
the sins that washed off from ablution. He supplicated to Allah u to take
this clairvoyance from him as he did not wish to see the sins of his fellow
brethren. His supplication was accepted and this clairvoyance was taken
from him. After this, he took the second opinion that it was pure.
Clairvoyance of the Heart and the Graves
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
178
@
ENDNOTES
1 Muslim, ‘Arð Maq‘ad al-Mayyit
2 Musnad Aúmad, Musnad Jóbir ibn ‘Abd Allóh
3 Tirmidhõ, Mó Jó fõ Faðl Sñrat al-Mulk
4 7: 201
5 55: 46
6 Kanz al-‘Ummāl, 2/516
7 Ibid, 15/751
8 Muüannaf Ibn Abõ Shaiba, 7/234
9 15:75
10 Tirmidhõ, min Sūrat al-ûajar
11 Bukhórõ, al-Tawóðu
12 2:235
13 9:104
14 Fatówó Ibn Taimiyya, 11/204
179
__
Chapter Sixteen
Ecstatic Phrases [OR ACTIONS]
[Shaøúiót]
@
WORDS UTTERED IN SPIRITUAL INTOXICATION
Some people when overcome by a spiritual state sometimes utter such
things that oppose the Qur’an and Sunna. If a person utters anything
that is against the Dõn in this state, it is called a shaøú. Though this
person is not sinful, it is forbidden to follow him. There are many say-
ings of the elders that indicate that someone who judges the entranced
people [ahl al-úól ] from their exoteric state would give a fatwa of heresy.
However, if such things are uttered in a state of intoxication or enrapture
[shauq] it will not be considered disbelief, though at the same time they
are not worthy of being followed.
The Blessed Prophet s said, “When a person repents, Allah u is
happier than a man traveling with all of his belongings and provisions on
his mount. Then this man rides into a jungle where death is certain. He
lies down under the shade of a tree and falls asleep. When he wakes up he
sees no sign of his camel. He looks everywhere and is getting hungry and
thirsty. Then he loses all hope and returns to the same place to die. He
puts his head in his hands and falls asleep. He wakes up again and sees his
camel with all his belongings and provisions on it standing nearby. At this
moment, no one can imagine his joy and he says in elation, “O Allah u,
you are my servant and I am your Lord.”
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
180
The Blessed Prophet s says, “He was mistaken because of his exces-
sive joy.”
1
This hadith is narrated by Abd Allóh Ibn Mas‘ñd g and Anas g
in Bukhórõ and Muslim with different wordings. Shaikh Thānwī says in
al-Tasharruf:
This hadith indicates that a helpless person is forgiven for his mistake
because the Blessed Prophet s quoted this person and did not rebut
him. The joy which incited such a statement came from a thing of
this material world. Imagine a person made helpless by his intense
love for Allah u; this is one of the spiritual properties [kaifiyyót]
that evolves from adherence to this Dõn.
The hadith about the Mother of the Believers, ‘Ā’isha j, being
accused of illicit behavior narrates, “When the ayas of the Qur’an
were revealed which exonerated her of all wrongdoing, her mother
said to her, ‘Go to the Blessed Prophet s and be grateful.’ She was
overcome by emotion and said, ‘I swear by Allah u I will not go and
I will not be grateful to anyone besides Allah u. He is the one who
has acquitted me.’
2
Shaikh Thānwī says, “Sometimes our elders said something in prose or
verse that outwardly seemed blasphemous. When it is said in an intoxicated
state it is called shaøú and aulól. The Mother of the Believers j statement falls
under this category. It resulted from her profound grief because the Blessed
Prophet s, himself a human and uninformed of the unseen, was confused
and doubtful. The Mother of the Believers j was aware of his feelings about
her and was grief stricken that he doubted her. When she was exonerated
by revelation of the ayas she was fervent and said what she said at that mo-
ment. Since the Blessed Prophet s did not chastise her for this reply, it
proves that those who utter ecstatic phrases are exempt from the general rule.
The Mother of the Believers j narrates:
The Blessed Prophet s said, ‘I know when you are happy and also
when you are angry with me.’ I asked, ‘How do you know Blessed
Prophet s?’ He replied, ‘When you are happy you say, ‘I swear by
the Creator of Muúammad s’ and when you are angry you say, ‘I
swear by the Creator of Ibróhõm e.’’ I replied, ‘You are right, except
that I only leave out your name [otherwise I love you as much when
I am angry as I do when I am happy with you].’
3
181
These are the stories of true love. People who understand true love re-
alize that the Blessed Prophet s understood she was overcome by a [spiri-
tual] state when she swore by the name of Allah u and that it was just
another expression of her love for her beloved. This is why he remained
silent and did not rebuke her for her remark.
The story of Khawója Aúmad Jóm, when he said, “We do it, we do it,”
has been narrated in a previous chapter. Khawója spread his hand over the
child and restored his vision as he repeated, “We do it, we do it.”
Once, Shaikh Yaqñb Nónautwõ
4
was sitting in his class, extremely
sad. Amõr Shāh Khón and some others came into class precisely at that
time. Shaikh said, “I have made a big mistake. I said such and such to
Allah u and he replied such and such. Then I said something [which
was outwardly disrespectful towards Allah u], to which He responded,
‘Quiet! Stop this nonsense.’ Then I was quiet and repented to Allah u
and was finally forgiven.”
Shaikh Qósim Nónautwõ shuddered when he heard this. He said, “Oh!
Maulvõ Ya‘qñb said such a thing! I beg for forgiveness from Allah u, I beg
for forgiveness from Allah u. I beg for forgiveness from Allah u. He is
overwhelmed by a state [majdhñb]; only he could say such a thing. Had it
been us, our throats would be slit.”
5
Shaikh Thānwī writes in the footnote:
In some levels when one is overwhelmed by a state, utterances are
categorized as ecstatic sayings and are thus forgiven. There are oth-
er overwhelmed ones who are temporally [not permanently] over-
whelmed by their state.
@
STORIES OF THE OVERWHELMED ONES
The stairs leading up to the Jómi‘ Masjid in Delhi have always been
home to one overwhelmed one or another. There are many famous in-
cidents of these overwhelmed ones, but it is not known when they first
settled there. There is a story of Mirza Maþhar Jónijóna. He would go
to Jómi‘ Masjid for Jumu‘a entering from the southern gate and leaving
from the eastern. After Jumu‘a, an elder would sit there on his prayer
rug under the northern portico near the entrance of the eastern gate.
He used to keep a small earthen jug covered with a weathered brick in
front of him. Whenever Mirza Jónijóna passed by him, Mirza Jónijóna
Ecstatic Phrases [or Actions]
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
182
would hit his legs, yell at him, pull the prayer rug from underneath him
and throw it away. He would lift the jug and brick and smash both of
them on the ground, shattering them into pieces and then walk off qui-
etly. People were shocked that someone like Mirza Jónijóna could be so
cruel, but no one had the courage to ask why he did it. Finally, someone
once asked, “Shaikh, who is this person and why do you do this to him?”
Mirza ýóúib replied, “When we were kids he hung around us and tried
to join our group. We would hit him and taunt him, but now Allah u
has shown us the path of Sulñk and we have been given successorship by
our mentors. One day, I thought, ‘I have known him for so long and he is
close to me, I should put some spiritual attention on him.’ When I did, I
found myself immersed in his own reflection and saw that he was higher
than me. I became worried. After that, I became respectful to him and
left my sitting place for him and told him, ‘This is your place, not mine.
Now you sit in my place and I will sit in yours.’ But he refused to listen.
When I insisted, he again refused and said, ‘You will continue to treat
me as you did when we were kids,’ but I refused. After that, he took away
all my spiritual properties and left me hollow. Now I was even more wor-
ried. I said, ‘Give me back my spiritual properties.’ He replied, ‘On the
condition that you will treat me as you always have and not here, but in
public outside the masjid.’ I had no choice but to accept his condition.”
6
In the footnote, Shaikh Thānwī writes:
‘Took away all my spiritual properties’—I say that the method of
this wresting away [of the spiritual properties] as I have heard from
Shaikh Gangohī is that the faculty to understand and to perform
good languishes, otherwise, it is not possible to eliminate someone’s
closeness to Allah u and their strength of spirituality. I say that this
inertness can be produced by sickness or even medications. It is not
harmful in itself except that one does not achieve the same edify-
ing feelings in worship which leads to disappointment. However, it
is harmful in the sense that it decreases one’s spiritual energies to
perform worship which leads to a decrease of good deeds. Therefore,
wherever there is a possibility of a spiritual force [taüarruf ] influ-
encing such changes, it will be forbidden; however, it is permissible
where the spiritual properties become an obstruction in one’s worldly
or religious functions. Likewise, when it is for a permissible purpose,
it will be permissible as in this incident.
183
@
DRAWING FALSE ASSUMPTIONS
I was a member of the Darul al-‘Ulñm [Deoband] board for many years.
Shaikh Madanī’s attitude towards ûakõm Isúóq Kóthurwõ was harsher
than this. At first, I was quite perturbed by what I saw, but after a few days
I understood what was happening.
One thing leads to another, but I meant to narrate an incident of an
overwhelmed one who lived on this flight of stairs in Delhi. He was very
pious and righteous. One day he began loudly ranting, “I am not your
servant and you are not my lord.” People grabbed him and took him to the
judge who was himself a pious and devout man. He asked the overwhelmed
one, “What are you saying?” He replied, “Satan has been trying to prevail
over me and force me to say, ‘You are my Creator and I am your servant,’
but I reject him saying, ‘Neither are you my Creator nor am I your servant.’
The purpose of narrating these incidents is to remind us that we
should not draw conclusions on the ecstatic phrases until we are sure of
what they mean.
@
ENDNOTES
1 Muslim, fi al-Hað ‘ala al-Tauba
2 Bukhórõ, Ta‘ dõl al-Nisó
3 Musnad Aúmad, ûadõth al-Sayyida ‘ ôisha
4 Ya‘qñb ibn Mamlñk ibn Aúmad ‘Alī (1831/32-1884)- was from the lineage of Abñ
Bakr g. Known for his clairvoyances and overwhelming spiritual states, he often
accurately predicted events before they transpired and was known for the acceptance
of his du‘ós. He was a teacher of Maulónó Ashraf ‘Alõ Thónwī who often said that no
one shaped his thinking and personality as much as Shaikh Nónautwī.
5 Ārwóú-e-Thalótha [# 249]
6 Mirza Janijóna’s ill-treatment of this shaikh was an example of an ecstatic action
[shatú].
Ecstatic Phrases [or Actions]
184
__
Chapter Seventeen
Intoxication and Unconsciousness
@
THE CAUSES BEHIND ECSTATIC PHRASES
At times, intoxication and unconsciousness may induce ecstatic phrases.
Many of the sayings and states of the masters of Sulñk are uttered in the
state of intoxication. The intoxication is forbidden if it is induced by a for-
bidden act. However, sometimes intoxication happens when a powerful
spiritual meaning descends upon the heart while the heart is too weak to
sustain it [though a weak heart is not the only reason for intoxication]. At
times, even a strong heart is overcome by the descent of a spiritual meaning
that is stronger than itself and the force of the descent makes one fall un-
conscious. Mñsó e was strong of character, but when he asked Allah u
to reveal Himself and Allah u manifested Himself in His revelation,
Mñsó e fell unconscious. Comparatively, the Blessed Prophet’s s spiri-
tual forbearance exceeded Mñsó’s e because the Blessed Prophet s had
attained union with Jibra’õl e [in spiritual attributes when Jibra’õl e
squeezed him three times] when he received his first revelation; only
Allah u knows best what gnosis and perpetual states he attained during
the next thirteen years. Thus, when the Blessed Prophet s ascended the
heavens in the ascension, he left Jibra’õl e behind.
Whatever extraordinary things the Blessed Prophet s experienced
and saw in the ascension did not bring any change, transformation, or
disintegration of his blessed body. He returned in the same state in which
he ascended.
185
Shaikh Thānwī writes in al-Takashshuf:
Unconsciousness can result from forceful blows on the soul as it does
by blows on the physical body. This is something all the tradition-
al doctors agree upon. Many different states of the soul can affect
changes in the mind, and one of these is when intoxication stuns
the mind bringing on unconsciousness. As an insane or unconscious
person is excused, likewise a spiritually intoxicated person or one
overwhelmed by a spiritual state is also excused in his ecstatic phras-
es, transgressions, and negligence towards obligatory duties. Many
times, this intoxication is not realized by a person sitting nearby just
as an insane person’s insanity is not noticeable. As a result, people are
sometimes accusatory and judgmental of a person’s conduct or utter-
ances. When we interpret the actions of people [that excuses them
from the obligatory act] it is with the understanding that such people
are otherwise virtuous, of the best character, and strict followers of
the Sunna. The only time we will not excuse a person is when he is a
transgressor, a slave of his desires, and leads a life of sin; in this case,
there is no need to interpret his actions or sayings, and the chances
of such a person being overwhelmed by spiritual intoxication is little
unless strong evidence suggests otherwise.
In al-Takashshuf, Shaikh Thónwõ footnoted the hadith which narrates
the incident of how ‘Umar g once tried to stop the Blessed Prophet s
from leading the funeral prayers of ‘Abd Allóh ibn Ubai ibn Sulñl [chief of
the hypocrites] and says:
Intoxication is the name of an inability to distinguish between rul-
ings related to the exoteric and esoteric because of the torrents of a
strong spiritual meaning descending into the heart; sobriety [üaúw]
is the return of this ability. The descent of the spiritual meaning
of hatred for the sake of Allah u [bughð fi Allah u] overpowered
‘Umar g and he became overwhelmed by it; he was not conscious
of his behavior and the words he used with the Blessed Prophet s
appeared as an apparent lack of respect on his part. In this situation,
the Blessed Prophet s did not hold him accountable for his behavior.
Then when he returned to his normal state of mind, it is narrated
in the hadith that he said, ‘I was appalled by my behavior with the
Intoxication and Unconsciousness
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
186
Blessed Prophet s.’ These types of descents of spiritual meanings
are common amongst the sufis. If the descent of the meaning is weak
and the heart is able to withstand it, the effect is unnoticeable, but
if it is strong and the heart is strained, the effect becomes apparent.
I remember the incident of Shaikh Faðl al-Raúmón Ganj Muródabódõ,
but can’t remember where I read it. It is written in Tadhkirat al-Rashõd that
once in his gathering, people were talking about the biographies of the
elders when the name of Shaikh Gangohī came up. At the time, Shaikh
Faðl al-Raúman said, “Don’t even talk about him, he drank up the whole
river and didn’t even burp.”
1
Ibn Taimiyya writes in his fatwas:
2
Sometimes people overcome by a certain state are subdued by the
spiritual property of union [ittiúód] or incarnation [úulñl ]. Some
forms of union are truth while others are purely falsehood. However,
since such feelings usually emerge when a person is subdued by a
certain state, is unconscious, or is repudiating the existence of ev-
erything around him except his beloved, and his infatuation is with
nothing forbidden, he will not be accountable for his actions. There
will be no punishment for him on the Day of Judgment because an
insane person is exempt from the law. If this person is mistaken in
what he says then he will fall under the aya, ‘O Lord, do not hold us
accountable, if we forget or make a mistake.’
3
and under the aya, ‘There
is no sin on you in the mistake you make.’
4
The example of this is like the story narrated about one person who
loved someone. When the beloved fell in the river, the lover threw himself
behind him in the river also. The beloved asked, ‘I fell accidentally, but
what made you fall?’ The lover replied, ‘In my love for you, I lost sight of
myself and thought you were me.’
This state occurs often among the people of love and also among the
seekers with their mentors. It is a state that is most often born out of love
for Allah u; however, there can be some imperfection in the attainment
of this union with Allah u. In this state, one becomes so absorbed in his
love for his beloved [i.e., Allah u] that he loses consciousness of his own
love and even reaching a level of self-annihilation. He cannot distinguish
remembrance from the one being remembered, observation from the one
187
being observed, and presence from the one who is omnipresent. In this
condition, one loses awareness of one’s own existence. In this condition, a
person may say, I am the Truth’ or ‘I am Glorified’ or other such delirious
statements. Such a person is intoxicated with love of Allah u. Since the
intoxication was not caused by something forbidden therefore such utter-
ances born from this spiritual condition should never be publicized.
@
ENDNOTES
1 He absorbed the descent of powerful spiritual meanings [due to his high perpetual
state] without any change in his consciousness or utterances.
2 Fatówa Ibn Taimiyya 2/396
3 2: 286
4 33:5
Intoxication and Unconsciousness
188
__
Chapter Eighteen
Esoteric Utterances of the Sufis
@
THE TRUE MEANING BEHIND THE WORDS OF THE WISE
The exoteric meanings of the utterances of the sufis often conceal their
true inner meanings. Because of this, some foolish people not learned
in the esoterica of this science make false objections. In Shamó’ il al-
Tirmidhõ, Anas g narrates,
Once a man came to Blessed Prophet s and asked for a mount. The
Blessed Prophet s said, ‘I will give you the calf [of a camel].’ The
man said, ‘O Blessed Prophet s, what am I going to do with a calf? I
need something to ride on.’ The Blessed Prophet s explained, ‘Every
camel is a calf of a camel.’
1
In another hadith in Shamó’ il, ûasan Baürõ says, “Once, an old wom-
an came to the Blessed Prophet s and said, ‘Pray for me that Allah u
blesses me with Paradise.’ The Blessed Prophet s said, ‘Old women will
not enter Paradise.’ When she turned away crying, he said, ‘Tell her she
will not enter Paradise as an old woman; Allah u will make all women
young and virginal before He puts them into Paradise.”
2
This meaning is also conveyed in the aya, ‘Surely, We have made up
those females in a special creation, and have made them virgins.’
3
This aya
189
indicates that the women of Paradise will always remain virgins as they
will become virginal after every intercourse.
Abñ Huraira g narrates that he once went to the market and said
to the people, “I see you people here when the inheritance of the Blessed
Prophet s is being distributed in the masjid.” People ran to the masjid, but
came back a short while later. They said, “We didn’t see anything being
distributed. We only saw a group of people reciting the Qur’an.” He said,
“This is the inheritance of the Blessed Prophet s.”
4
Shaikh Thānwī writes in al-Takashshuf:
Most of the speeches and writings of the elders contain some articles
that are outside the realm of the apparent meaning. This hidden
meaning only becomes coherent once the intended meaning and
its explanation are understood. There are various reasons for with-
holding the real meaning: being overwhelmed by a spiritual state,
concealment from the public, motivating the addressee because con-
cealing something provokes one to specify whatever is being con-
cealed, and the thing which is specified by provocation engenders a
stronger impression on the heart.
The narration of Abñ Huraira g corroborates this point. Abñ
Huraira g at first concealed the true meaning with intention to motivate
the people by using an irrelevant explicit meaning. Concealing the true
meaning led people to believe the apparent meaning. This is why they
returned complaining they did not see anything being distributed. After
he explained the real meaning, they understood what he actually meant.
Thus, one should not criticize a spiritual mentor while he is in a state be-
cause it is truly one’s own loss.
Also, Ubai ibn Ka‘b g narrates, “One Companion l from amongst
the Helpers lived far from Madina, but he never missed even one üalót be-
hind the Blessed Prophet s. We pitied him and I said, ‘It would be so good
if you bought yourself a mount that would save you from the hot stones and
pebbles, and protect you against the predatory creatures of the earth.’ He re-
plied, ‘I wouldn’t even want my house to be next to the Blessed Prophet’s s
house.’ I was upset at this response. I went to the Blessed Prophet s
and complained about him. The Blessed Prophet s called him. The
Companion l said the same to the Blessed Prophet s and added, ‘I hope
that Allah u will reward me for each step I take to the masjid.’ The Blessed
Prophet s said to him, ‘You will get what you intended from Allah u.’”
5
Esoteric Utterances of the Sufs
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
190
Shaikh Thānwī says:
The same commentary applies here that applied to the former ha-
dith. Notice that the words of the Companion l were disrespectful
and upset Ubai ibn Ka‘b g. We can understand that he may have
said what he did to hide his true intentions or for other similar rea-
sons. Since there was nothing to hide from the Blessed Prophet s,
he revealed his true intentions to him and it became clear that the
outward meaning of what he had said earlier to Ubai ibn Ka‘b g
was not intended.
In a glorified hadith [hadõth al-qudusõ], Abñ Huraira g narrates that
the Blessed Prophet s said:
On the Day of Judgment, Allah u will say to some people, ‘I was
sick, you did not visit Me.’ The person will say, ‘O my Creator, how
can I visit you? You are Provider of the Universe.’ Allah u will say,
‘Do you not remember so-and-so person became sick and you did not
visit him? Do you not know that if you had visited you would find
Me there?’” Then Allah u will say, “I asked you for food and drink,”
and the person will respond, ‘Oh my Creator, How can I feed You
and quench Your thirst, You are Provider of the Universe?’ Allah u
will respond, “You would have found Me there if you had fed him
and quenched his thirst.”
223
This hadith and the previous examples indicate that such statements
are figurative and cannot be taken literally otherwise our beliefs would
be corrupted. There are numerous ayas of this kind in the Qur’an. To
present a few:
Then an announcer shouted out, “O people of the caravan, you are
thieves! ”
6
So I wanted to make it defective, as there was a king across them who
used to usurp every boat by force.
7
They [the opponents of ösó e] devised a plan, and Allah u devised
a plan.
8
191
@
ENDNOTES
1 Shamóil, Innó ûómiluka ‘aló Walad
2 Ibid, al-Jannat ló Tadkhuluhó ‘Ujñz
3 56:35-36
4 Mu‘ jam al-Ausaø, 2/114
5 Muslim, Faðl Kathrat al-Khuøó’
6 Muslim, Faðl ‘Iyódat al-Marõð
7 12:70
8 18:79
9 3:54
Esoteric Utterances of the Sufs
192
__
Chapter Nineteen
The Mother of all Diseases:
Arrogance
@
THE DANGERS OF ARROGANCE
My plan was to address various issues and I had many points in mind,
but since arriving in Madina, my health has deteriorated. I was bedrid-
den in India and was hoping that things would get better after arriving
in Madina, however since arriving in Madina I haven’t improved any.
Many times I felt like ending this book, but changed my mind on the
insistence of my friends. Due to sickness, I could not write anything for
days on end, and now as my health has declined, I have decided to end
this topic with two important discussions.
From the very beginning, it was my intention to complete Shari‘a
and ùarīqa with these two topics. One was the topic of arrogance, the
mother of all diseases. The second was the topic of debasing the friends of
Allah u [auliyó Allóh]. I borrowed the term ‘the mother of all diseases’
from my good friend Sufi Iqból who wrote the book, Arrogance: The Moth-
er of All Diseases. The first edition sold out soon after publication and now
the second edition is on the way. I thought I would give him to write on
this topic but my friends explained that every writer has his own writing
style, and it would be best that I write on this topic myself.
Many years ago, I wrote that there are two types of sins, the sa-
tanic sins and the bestial sins. In the article, I mentioned that the
193
bestial sins are quickly forgiven by the mercy of Allah u. The hadith
is well-known:
ْنِإَو ِلا َ لوُسَر اَي ُتْل ُ ق َ ةّنَجْلا َ لَخَد َ ائيَش ِلاِب ْ كِ رْشُي َ ل يِتّمُ أ ْنِم َتاَم ْنَم
َ قِ رَس ْنِإَو َىن َ ز ْنِإَو َ لاَ ق َ قِ رَس ْنِإَو َىن َ ز
Whoever dies in my umma without associating with Allah u will enter
Paradise. I [Abñ Dharr g] said, ‘O Blessed Prophet s! Even if he forni-
cates and steals?’ He said, ‘Even if he fornicates and steals.’
1
I supported the point about the two types of sins with the Qur’an and
Sunna. It has always been my habit to show my work to my friends, espe-
cially Shaikh ‘Abd al-Raúmón and Qórī Sa‘īd. On occasion, they mark off
whole paragraphs and I would argue with them about it, but finally give in
to them. They would delete anything unworthy of being published.
I don’t remember which manuscript it was, but they argued that it did
not emphasize the importance of the satanic sins enough and at the same
time lacked mention of the bestial sins.
I was unable to include this topic in my other books, but I think the
topic of arrogance befits this book considering that it is the most danger-
ous of the spiritual diseases, not in my opinion only, but also as stated in
the Qur’an and Sunna. But in Taüawwuf, it is considered the most destruc-
tive. Imam Ghazólī dedicates a whole chapter to this subject in his book
Iúyó ‘Ulñm al-Dīn. He writes:
Allah u warns of the dangers of arrogance in many ayas of Qur’an.
In one aya, He says, “I shall turn from My ayas those who behave ar-
rogantly on the earth without a right.”
2
In another aya, “Thus, does
Allah u seal the heart of every arrogant, tyrant.”
3
In another aya, “Tru-
ly, He likes not the proud.”
4
In yet another aya Allah u says, “And your
Lord said, ‘Invoke me, I will respond to your invocation. Verily! Those
who scorn My worship, they will enter Hell in humiliation.”
5
The evil effects of arrogance are also mentioned repeatedly in
the Qur’an. In addition, the Blessed Prophet s said in a hadith, “He
who has a grain of arrogance in his heart will not enter the Para-
dise.’ In another hadith Abñ Huraira g narrates that the Blessed
Prophet s said that Allah u says, “Pride is My shawl and Greatness
The Mother of all Diseases: Arrogance
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
194
is my izór (lower garment). I will throw in the Hellfire anyone who
tries to snatch these away from Me and will not fear the consequenc-
es.”In another hadith the Blessed Prophet s said, “Allah u will
throw into the Hellfire facedown anyone with a grain of arrogance of
his heart.”
6
In another hadith the Blessed Prophet s said, “A person
exalts himself until he is written amongst the ruthless ones [jabbórīn]
and will suffer the same punishment as them.” In another hadith he
says, “On the Day of Judgment, a neck with two ears by which it
will hear, two eyes by which it will see and a tongue by which it will
speak will emerge from the Hellfire. It will say, ‘three men are mine:
every arrogant man, the person who associated with Allah u, and
the one who made pictures.’”The Blessed Prophet s also said, “The
Hellfire and Paradise had a debate. The Hellfire said, ‘The arrogant
and cruel ones have been chosen for me.’ Paradise will say, ‘The poor,
weak, and obscure people are my lot.’”
The Blessed Prophet s also said, “When he was on his deathbed,
Nñú e called both his sons and said, ‘I enjoin two things upon you
and forbid you two things.’”The two forbidden things are associat-
ing others with Allah u and arrogance. Abñ Huraira g narrates
that the Blessed Prophet s said, “The tyrants and arrogant ones
will be reduced to the size of ants and people will crush them under
their feet.”
Imam Ghazólī quotes many ayas of the Qur’an and aúódõth regarding
the evils of arrogance. Below, I narrate a few more:
Abñ Bakr g said, “I do not ever look down upon a Muslim because
even a small Muslim is great in the sight of Allah u.”
Dhahab said, “When Allah u created the Garden of Eden, He
addressed it thus, ‘You are forbidden for every arrogant person.’”
The Blessed Prophet s said, “Allah u will not look at the per-
son who drags his lower garment on the ground out of arrogance.”
The Blessed Prophet s, “A man was walking arrogantly, his two
shawls wrapped around him, when Allah u pressed him into the
earth and he will continue to suffer this punishment until the Day
of Judgment.”
Miøraf ibn ‘Abd Allóh saw Muhallab walking arrogantly in a silk
cloth. Miøraf said, “O servant of Allah u ! This walk of yours is dis-
liked by Allah u and His Blessed Prophet s.” Muhallab said, “Do
195
you even know who I am?” Miøraf replied, “Yes, I know you very well.
Your beginning was a drop of semen and your end is a decomposed
body and between these two stages you carry filth in your stomach.”
Muhallab left his haughtiness and walked off.
‘Umar g said, “When a person is humble, Allah u raises his
status and says to him, ‘be elevated’, and when a person is arrogant
He disgraces him and says, ‘You are vile.’ Then such a person reaches
such a level that though he thinks highly of himself, he is most con-
temptible to the people and they think worse of him than swine.”
Mólik ibn Dīnór says, “If somebody ever came to the entrance of
a masjid and announced, ‘I want the worst of you to leave the masjid’
I swear by Allah u you will not find anyone leaving the masjid faster
than myself.”
When ‘Abd Allóh ibn Mubórak heard this statement of Mólik
ibn Dīnór he said, “This is what made Mólik a mólik (king).”
7
My friend, Sufi Iqból in his book, Akóbir kó Sulñk, narrates that Shai-
kh Rashīd Aúmad Gangohī said,
In the past, the elders put their students through difficult exercises in
order to eliminate their spiritual diseases. However, the later scholars,
especially the elders of our line [Chishtiyya], prefer that one perform
so much dhikr that the spiritual diseases [of the heart] are eliminated
and the effects of the dhikr permeates into every aspect of one’s life.
There are many spiritual diseases but most have boiled it down
to ten, the root cause of all ten being arrogance. If this one disease is
eliminated, the rest will leave on their own.
One man stayed with Junaid Bahgdódī for 20 years. One day he
said, “I have been with you for so many years but I feel like I have
gained nothing from you.” This man was the chief of his tribe. Ju-
naid Baghdódī realized that he had arrogance in his heart. He said,
“Listen, do one thing. Take a basket of walnuts and sit outside the
door of the sanctum and announce, ‘I will give one walnut for the
person who hits me once on the head with his shoe and two walnuts
if he hits me twice’ and so on and so forth. Do this until the until
the basket is empty and then come to me.” The man exclaimed, “Ló
ilóha illallóh Muúammud rasñlullóh! Haðrat, I can’t do that.” Junaid
Baghdódī replied, “This kalima is most blessed. If one reads it with
conviction after living his whole life in disbelief, he will become a
The Mother of all Diseases: Arrogance
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
196
true believer. But saying this, you have rejected the path of ùarīqa.
Get out of here. You will not gain anything from me.”
After this incident, Junaid Baghdódī narrated the incident of a
man who spent many years with his mentor and complained about
the condition of his heart that he did not see any improvement in
himself. The mentor asked, “What do you mean by improvement?”
The man said, “I will pass on the blessings I gain from you.” The
shaikh said, “This is your problem; you want to become a shaikh.
Get rid of this evil intention from your heart and know that we are
obligated to be grateful to Allah u for all His blessings. The people
who perform dhikr and devotions to profit from them in this way [i.e.
to become a shaikh] are foolish. Their intention is corrupted. How is
such a person going to benefit and gain a reward? His very existence
and then the eyes, nose, ears, tongue, and the five senses, and all that
Allah u has given us; we must fulfill our obligation to Him before
we think about other rewards and benefits.”
@
THE DECEPTION OF SATAN
Since the path of ùarīqa is the path of success and salvation, Satan aims
to thwart the efforts and advancement of anyone on this path. He does
not stop the student on this path when he performs a lot of worship, fears
Allah u and avoids major sins, but instead cultivates the seed of arrogance
in his heart and puts to waste his piety and good deeds. In Ikmól al-Shiyam,
it is written,
Whoever claims to be humble is actually arrogant because one can
only claim humility when he has observed the loftiness of his rank.
Thus, when he claims to be humble it is as if he has observed his
greatness, therefore he is arrogant.
@
TRUE HUMILITY
In summary, the reality of humility is that one feels himself so wretched
that the level of his rank never even crosses his mind. He considers himself
vile from head to toe. If a person truly feels this way about himself, he will
197
never make any claims, neither that of humility or any other righteous
quality because such a claim indicates he recognizes his high status.
In reality, humility is not performing a humble act and thinking one-
self humble. True humility is that when an humble act is done, the person
thinks it above himself to perform such a deed. Most people think that any
act of piety or humility proves one is humble. For example, if a rich man
helps someone who is poor people will say, “What a humble man” though
he is extremely arrogant. This is why the author [of Ikmól al-Shiyam]
explains that the way to differentiate humility from non-humility is not
by looking for a humble act, especially when one thinks it below himself
to do such a thing. For example, if someone leaves his chair to sit on a
rug, and thinks it below himself to sit on a rug due to his self-importance
and thinks that he should be on the chair, then this person is actually ar-
rogant. A truly humble person is that he sits on the rug but does not even
think himself worthy of sitting on a rug; in fact, he thinks he should be on
the bare floor. Another example: he gives money to a poor man and feels
honored that the poor man accepted his gift when it was unworthy of ac-
ceptance. This is a sign of true humility.
Though I wished to write more and the discussion is long, I was
forced to cut it short due to my sickness. The disease of arrogance is
dangerous in Shari‘a but is even more dangerous in ùarīqa. I saw that
it was the habit of the elders that if the idea of successorship crossed a
student’s mind, they would not give him successorship though he had
attained the nisba of Allah u. They also warned the student, who after
receiving successorship, showed signs of arrogance. If such a student
rectified his condition then well and good otherwise they annulled his
successorship. I saw many people who were successors of the greatest of
our elders and who performed a lot of dhikr and devotions, fall because
of arrogance. In fact, one must be more cautious after gaining succes-
sorship of becoming arrogant. Even if such a successor’s successorship is
not annulled few of his students ever attain the nisba of Allah u and
his line does not endure. May Allah by His beneficence and Mercy save
my friends and myself from this dangerous spiritual disease. It is indeed
a serious matter.
Though arrogance is deadly it is not the only disease of the heart that
is dangerous. All spiritual diseases are dangerous and one must be vigilant
of falling victim to anyone of them. For example, vanity [‘ujb] must be
avoided since it is no less dangerous than arrogance. The ýaúóba l suf-
fered in the battle of ûunain due to vanity though the Blessed Prophet s
himself participated in this battle and stood in the front lines.
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The incident of the battle of ûunain is mentioned in the beginning of
Sñrat al-Tauba and is summarized in Bayón al-Qur’an. Allah u says,
Truly Allah u has given you victory on many battlefields and on the
Day of ûunain when you rejoiced at your great number but it availed
you not and the earth, vast as it is, was straitened for you, then you
turned back in flight. Then Allah u sent down his sakīna (tranquil-
ity) on the believers and sent down forces which you saw not, and
punished the disbelievers. Such is the recompense of disbelievers.
8
In the war against the apostates, Khólid ibn Walīd g said, “People
face tribulations due to their utterances.” The first battle against the apos-
tates was against the false prophet, ùulaiúa Asadī. Many of ùulaiúa’s men
were killed but most ran away, including ùulaiúa himself. This boosted
the confidence of the Muslims. After that, the Muslims came against the
false prophet, Musailima and found him to be fierce and relentless. The
number of Muslims martyred was the same as apostates that were killed
in the battle of Mñta. Khólid ibn Walīd g was the general of the Muslim
army. He says,
When we finished off with ùulaiúa and found him weakly and a
coward the words, “Who is Banñ ûanīfa [the tribe of Musailima]?
They are no better than the fools we just dealt with” came out of my
tongue, and hardship strikes us through our own words. When we
came against them we found none like them. They fought us con-
tinuously from sunrise to ‘Aür.
Khólid g admits that his statement exacerbated the situation. Like-
wise, whenever the righteous caliphs congratulated an army on their vic-
tory, they advised them to be careful of vanity. Many incidents of this kind
are mentioned in al-I‘tidól.
On the other hand, Allah u loves humility which was the out-
standing trait of all the prophets and the friends of Allah u. When the
embodiment of humility, the Blessed Prophet s, entered Makka on the
day of the conquest of Makka, he bowed his head so low it touched his
saddle. It was due to this humility that the worst enemies of the Blessed
Prophet s became his devout followers. They realized that the Blessed
Prophet s was a mercy and symbol of love of Allah u. He does not
199
fight for territory or power but came only to give us the blessing of õmón
and Islam.
Shaikh ûusain Madanī writes in Asīrón-e-Mólta,
Shaikh al-Hind Maúmñd al-ûasan loved the company of the poor
common folk. He wished to make his habits, his clothes, his lifestyle
like that of the poor people and was afraid of the worldly, rich and
pompous people. He stayed in the company of the students of the
school
9
and preferred sitting in the third-class section of the train
though he was also particular about cleanliness. He always kept
some camphor with him while travelling since the odors and dirty
clothing of the common folk upset him. He loved the smell of per-
fume oils, especially rose. He also loved simplicity and keeping com-
pany with simple people and despised formalities and superficiality.
He always quoted Shaikh Qósim Nónautwī who said, “The public
bathrooms are also a blessing. And though the bathrooms of the rich
are fragrant and clean, they are an in actual fact, an abomination.”
@
THE OBSESSION OF THE SELF
The self is obsessed with its greatness. Its desire to see itself the center of all
creation is precisely the cause of all evils and the reason behind the down-
fall of one’s worldly life and Hereafter. For this reason, the elders crush the
urge of the self which looks for praise and strives for self-importance, and
are eager to find ways and conditions in which the wanting of their self is
suppressed and humiliated, especially in public.
The putrid smell of the physical things is nothing compared to the
foul odors of the spiritual impurities. Attending to the call of nature in-
creases the self-importance of the rich [because of the comforts, fragrant
smell, and layout of their bathrooms] while increasing the humility and
contempt for the self amongst the common people. It reminds one of his
own reality. When this is the state of our inner, one can analogize it with
everything else such as our properties, our conduct with others, and our
possessions etc.
The jurists write that it is more virtuous to perform ablution from a
shallow reservoir [that is made inside many of the masójid for performing
ablution] because it opposes the Mu‘tazilites
10
; though it is not written any-
where that the Mu‘tazilites ever opposed ablution from a shallow reservoir.
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As far as I can understand, ablution from a shallow reservoir grates the
self because one is going to rinse his mouth from the same place where
another previously washed his feet. This is why people who possess the self
that inclines towards evil [al-nafs al-ammóra] and worldly people find it
loathsome to perform ablution from a public reservoir. This is probably the
reason behind the virtue of performing ablution from a shallow reservoir.
The reality is that both Shaikh Qósim Nónautwī and Shaikh al-Hind
always looked for ways to spite themselves, to suppress their self, and es-
tablish humility in themselves. They abhorred places where arrogance,
vanity, fame, greatness, and self-importance were fostered and were they
could easily fall victim to the self. They didn’t just talk self-deprecatingly
of themselves as we do. We say [in Urdu] kamtarīne khaló’ iq (the worst of
creation), sagge dunyó (a dog of the world), dharre bi miqdór (a worthless
granule), nóbkór (useless), nangī khaló’ iq (the lowest class of creation) and
ascribe other such epithets to ourselves. But this is all sanctimoniousness
because the meanings of these epithets bare no relation to the condition
of our hearts. In fact, we think quite the opposite of ourselves, our state
is hamm chuman dīgre naist (we are everything, nothing but us exists).
Because of this we observe others faults and criticize and backbite them.
If we ever hear praise of our contemporaries, a fire begins to burn in our
hearts and we begin to find faults in them and relegate them in front of
others. We are enraged if anyone ever calls us illiterate, useless, an ass, a
dog, or even a pig. If we were true to the epithets we ascribe to ourselves
like kamtarīne khaló’ iq (the worst of creation) then why are we so offended
when someone insults us and calls us a dog or a pig? After all, they too are
creation aren’t they?
Many times I faced difficulties not for something I said, but due to
arrogant and vain thoughts that crossed my mind.
@
THE HARDSHIPS ARROGANT THOUGHTS BRING ON US
In 1382/1961 the student uprising in Maþóhir al-‘Ulñm [one of the schools
established by the elders of Deoband in Sahóranpñr, India] completely
crushed my desire to teach and I never taught after that. The inciters of the
uprising employed every possible method to close down the school: lying,
false oaths, and deception. I truly believe the axiom that ‘whatever tribula-
tion befalls you is the fruit of your own misdeeds’.
11
Our own evils are the
root cause of all the tribulations we face in this world though the apparent
201
causes may seem otherwise as Khólid ibn Walīd g said, ‘hardship comes
by what we say’. Here are some of the realities behind the uprising that
became clear to me much later:
1 Approximately one week before the uprising, the topic of
protests and uprisings came up in one of the classes and the
teacher said, “There can never be an uprising in Maþóhir.”
2 The seed of the uprising was first sowed in one of the campus
buildings. A nonbeliever instigated one of the students and
said, “If you students unify the teachers and school can do
nothing to you.” This same student gathered all the students
once the gate of the campus building had been closed and
delivered a fiery speech. When I found out about this in the
morning, I called on the supervisor and told him the serious-
ness of the matter but he downplayed it saying, “Don’t worry,
he can’t do anything. I will go and straighten him up right
now.” I again explained the seriousness of the situation but he
was headstrong and took the matter lightly.
3 When the uprising gathered force and made its way into the
main buildings of the school, we [the board members] held an
emergency meeting and I proclaimed, “Not one student from
the final year [who were taught the books of hadith by Shaikh
al-ûadīth Muúammud Zakariyyó] is involved in the upris-
ing.” The assistant principal, Shaikh ‘Abd al-Majīd quietly
uttered, “ûaðrat, there are also students from the final year.”
This fool [Shaikh Zakariyyó is referring to himself ] repeated
the same thing but more forcefully that, “It is not possible for
any of the final year students to be involved in this uprising.”
We later learned that almost all the final year students were
involved in the uprising. Even more shocking was the fact
that one of my closest students who was also the personal
helper of the principal of the school and whom we confided
with on this matter, also played a major role in the uprising.
The reason I was so adamant that the final year students could
not be involved in the uprising was that I always stressed upon
them the loftines of their position, that they were representa-
tives of the Blessed Prophet s and that they would one day
be leaders of the Muslims. In Bukhórõ class, I drove home this
point in each class from the beginning of the year and naively
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thought that they had absorbed the message. But when I saw
that just about every student from the final year was involved,
the following poem came to my lips:
Why doesn’t the one deprived of the fulfillment of his desire
Look into the sleeping skies
That he sees himself failing at every step
Even now, whenever the scenes of the uprising play out before
my eyes, I see it a result of my own failing. If I had any sincer-
ity, I would have had some effect on my students. Before the
uprising, when any riot or protest broke out in a school and
the students told us of the abuses against them we would em-
pathize with the students. However, after the riots in Maþóhir,
my sympathies are always with the administration and teach-
ers. The uprising of Maþóhir left a ugly scar in my heart. May
Allah u protect me from this arrogance, the mother of all
diseases which can bring down the best of people.
@
ARROGANCE WORKS HAVOC ON THE HEART
I have seen many of the great mentors of the past fall due to arrogance
and the story of Abñ ‘Abd Allóh Andalñsī is so deeply embedded in my
mind it usually finds its way into my writings. I wish that the students
of this path and those interested in Taüawwuf also make it a reminder
for themselves and take heed from it. Shaikh Abñ ‘Abd Allóh Andalñsī
was one of the elders of the elders of Taüawwuf. Many sanctums and
schools ran under him and he had thousands of students in Taüawwuf
and Shari‘a. This incident took place two-hundred years after the demise
of the Blessed Prophet s and the effects of the golden era still could be
observed. It is said that he had twelve-thousand students. Once, he went
on a journey accompanied by great shaikhs the like of Junaid Baghdódī
and Shiblī. Shiblī says:
Our caravan was moving peacefully with the blessings of Allah u.
Then we came to pass by a Christian village. Little time was left for
üalót and we could not find any water in the village. A small well lay
in the outskirts of the village where some girls had gathered to fill
their buckets with water. The minute the shaikh saw of one of the
203
girls his condition changed. He bowed his head and stopped eating,
drinking, and talking to anyone for three whole days.
We became worried and concerned for his welfare. On the third
day, I gathered the courage and asked, “O shaikh, thousands of your
students are worried about your condition.” The shaikh turned to-
ward everyone and addressed them thus: “My friends, how long am
I going to hide my condition from you. I saw one of the girls and
fell in love with her. My love for her has permeated every limb of
my body. Now I can never leave here.” I replied, “O shaikh, you are
the shaikh of Iraq and are renowned for your austerity, your piety
and your wealth of knowledge. The number of your students ex-
ceeds twelve-thousand. By the Qur’an, I beg that you not disgrace
us and everyone here.” The shaikh responded, “My friend, your fate
and mine is predestined by Allah u. Allah u has taken away His
guidance from me and removed the gift of my closeness with Him.”
Saying this he began to cry and then said, “O my people, my destiny
is being fulfilled, nothing is in my control.”
We were struck by his words and we cried in anguish. The
shaikh began to cry with us and soon the dirt became wet with the
flood of our tears. After this, we had no choice but to return to
Baghdad. The shaikh’s students in Baghdad were devastated upon
hearing about their shaikh and some died of grief and shock. Most
of them began entreating Allah u, “O Changer of hearts, guide
the shaikh and return him to his post.” After this, all the sanctums
were shut down and a year went by in anguish and pain without our
shaikh. Then, we decided to make a trip to that village and find out
about his condition and to see how he was doing. As we reached the
village, we asked about the whereabouts of our shaikh. They told
us, “He is tending to the pigs in the jungle.” We were agonized. “O
Allah u, what is happening to our shaikh?” The village people ex-
plained, “The shaikh was engaged to the daughter of our chief. Her
father accepted the engagement under this condition [i.e. he would
tend to the pigs].” We were grief-stricken and could have drowned
in our sorrow and grief. Tears flowed from our eyes and we could
barely control our emotions as we find our way to the jungle where
the shaikh was tending the pigs. Then we saw our shaikh. He was
wearing a Christian cap and a girdle around his waist. He was lean-
ing on the stick which he leaned on in his sermons and talks, and was
keeping an eye on the pigs. The scene was like salt on our wounds.
When he saw us walking toward him he put his head down. When
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we came close enough for him to hear, we said, “Al-salómu ‘alaikum.”
He soflty replied, “wa ‘alaikum al-salóm.”I said, “Shaikh, look at you
after all that knowledge, the great position you held and the hadith
and Qur’an.” The shaikh replied, “O my brothers, I am not in my
control, my Creator did as He wished with me and after bringing me
so close, He threw me away from His door. How can anyone avoid
what is destined for him? O my friends, fear the wrath of Allah u,
don’t ever become arrogant over your knowledge and status.” Then
he looked towards the sky and said, “O my Mauló (Creator), I did not
think You would throw me from Your door.” Saying this, he began
to cry and sought guidance from Allah u and said, “O Shiblī, learn
from others!” I cried and supplicated, “O our Sustainer, we ask none
but You for help and we put our trust in You. Please remove this trial
from us as none but You has the power to do so.”
The pigs began squealing upon hearing our cries and entreating
with Allah u. The shaikh also wept and cried. I said, “Shaikh, you
were a úófiþ (memorizer) of Qur’an and recited Qur’an in the seven
recitations. Do you remember anything now?” He replied, “I remem-
ber nothing but two ayas,
ُءاَشَي اَم ُ لَعْ فَي َهّ للا ّنِإ ٍ م ِ ر ْ كُم ْنِم ُهَل اَمَف ُهّ للا ِ نِ هُي ْنَمَو
And whomsoever Allah u disgraces, none can honor Him. Verily!
Allah u does what He wills.
12
ِ ليِبّسلا َءاَوَس ّ ل َ ض ْدَقَف ِ ناَيلاِب َرْ ف ُ كْلا ِ لّدَبَتَي ْنَمَو
And He who changes faith for disbelief, Verily, He has gone astray
from the Right way.”
13
I asked, “O shaikh, you knew thirty-thousand aúódõth with the chains
of transmission and could recall them instantly. Do you still remember
any of those aúódõth?” He replied, “I only remember one hadith,
ُهوُ ل ُ تْ قاَف ُهَنيِد َ لّدَب ْنَم
Whoever changes his faith, execute him.”
14
205
After this, we decided to return to Baghdad. We had only traveled
a short distance when we suddenly saw the shaikh on the third day
emerging from the bank of a river after taking a bath. He was loudly
saying the kalima,
ِلا ُ لوُسَر َدّمَحُم ّنَا ُدَهْشَا َو ُ لا َ لِا َهلِا َ ل ْنَا ُدَهْشَا
Only he would understand our joy at that moment who saw and
felt our pain and anguish before this. Afterwards, we asked the
shaikh, “Was there any reason behind all this?” The shaikh replied,
“Yes, when we stopped by the village we passed by many temples and
churches. When I saw the fire-worshippers and Christians associat-
ing others with Allah u I became arrogant and thought, “We are
true believers and believers in the one Creator. Look at these ignorant
and foolish people worshipping inanimate beings.” Immediately, I
heard a voice from the unseen saying, “Your faith and belief in the
oneness of Allah u is not through your efforts, but by Our will. Do
you think your õmón is in your hands that you look down upon oth-
ers? If you wish We will prove it to you right now [that õmón is by My
will]. At that moment, I felt as if a bird flew from my heart which in
reality was my õmón.”
In this story, the main point of narrating this whole incident was the
last part about how arrogance became the cause of the shaikh’s misery and
loss of õmón. This incident has also been narrated in ôp Bītī and in Akóbir
kó Sulñk by Sufi Iqból. ûakīm Ilyós has also written a book based on this
incident by the name, Shaikh Andalñsī kó Aik ‘Ajīb aur Gharīb ‘Ibratnók
Wóqi‘a. This arrogance is so dangerous that it even brought down one of
the elder of the elders. May Allah u by His grace and mercy save us from
this deadly disease. ômīn.
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@
ENDNOTES
1 Bukhórõ, Man Ajóba bi Labbaika wa ýa‘ daika
2 7:146
3 40:35
4 16:23
5 40: 60
6 Kanz al-‘Ummól, 3/534
7 Iúyó ‘Ulñm al-Dīn
8 9:25-26
9 In the following pages, school refers to the traditional Islamic schools or madrasas
10 Also known as the Rationalists, they first introduced the methods and style of
Hellenistic philosophy into Islam. It is said to have started with Wóüil ibn ‘Aøó [699-
749] who disagreed with ûasan al-Baürī [642-728] over the issue of whether a grave
sinner could be classified as a disbeliever or not and withdrew from his gatherings
and established his own. The teachings of the Mu‘tazilites were characterized by the
concept that rationale determined good and bad while revelation was only a means
to substantiate it.
11 4:79
12 22:18
13 2:108
14 Abñ Dówñd, al-ûukm fī Man Irtadda
207
_
Chapter Twenty
Debasing the Friends of Allah u
This last chapter which is about debasing the Predecessors is the most
important of all the previous chapters. The Predecessors includes all the
scholars, the hadith masters, the jurists, and the ýñfiyó. Allah says:
َيِضَر ٍ ناَسْحِ إِب ْمُهوُعَبّ تا َنيِذّلاَو ِ راَصْنلاَو َني ِ رِ جاَهُمْلا َنِم َنوُلّولا َنوُ قِباّسلاَو
اَهيِف َنيِدِلاَخ ُراَهْنلا اَهَتْحَت ي ِ رْجَت ٍتاّنَج ْمُهَل ّدَعَأَو ُهْنَع او ُ ضَرَو ْمُهْنَع ُهّ للا
ُميِظَعْلا ُ زْوَفْلا َكِلَ ذ اًدَبَأ
And the first to embrace Islam of the Emigrants and the Helpers and
also those who followed them exactly (in Faith). Allah u is well-
pleased with them as they are well-pleased with Him. He has pre-
pared for them Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise), to Dwell
therein forever. That is the Supreme success.
1
Many aúódõth from al-Durr al-Manthñr help explain this aya. One
such hadith is by Imam Auzó‘ī. He says,
Yaúyó ibn Kathīr, Qósim, Makúñl, ‘Abda ibn Abī Labóba, and
ûasan ibn Abī ‘Aøiyya narrate that they heard from a large group
of ýaúóba l that, “When this aya was revealed the Blessed
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Prophet s said, “This is for my community and after Allah’s u
pleasure there is no wrath.”
And the ýñfiyó who have attained iúsón are also included in this aya
amongst ‘those who followed them exactly (in Faith)’ and are thus also
amongst those who have achieved the pleasure of Allah u. This point
has been explained extensively in al-I‘tidól. Regarding the matter of de-
basing the predecessors, I will only say this much that those who dedicate
their time and efforts to finding faults of the scholars and enjoy doing so,
hurt no one more than themselves. And if they could hurt the scholars
they criticize, the most they can do is deprive them of worldly gains or of
dignity and respect, all of which are transient and insignificant. And this
of course is only if they have the power to change whatever is written in
their [the scholars’] destiny. In essence, their prejudices and criticism of the
scholars backfire on them and does no harm to the scholars.
The Blessed Prophet s said, “He who has no respect for our elders, is
not kind to our children, and does not hold our scholars in esteem is not
from amongst us.”
2
Imagine that a person claims he is from the community of the Blessed
Prophet s but the Blessed Prophet s wants nothing to do with him.
In another hadith the Blessed Prophet s said, “Those who carry the
revelations are the friends of Allah u.” In another hadith, the Blessed
Prophet s said, “The holders of the Qur’an are the friends of Allah u.
Whosoever makes them their enemy makes Allah u his enemy and who-
ever makes them his friend makes Allah u his friend.”
3
In a glorified hadith [al-úadīth al-qudusī] of Bukhórõ, Allah u says,
“I declare war upon the one who troubles my friend.”
4
Khaøīb Baghdódī
narrates from Imam Abñ ûanīfa and Imam Shófi‘ī that, “If the jurists
and scholars are not the friends of Allah u then nobody is a friend of
Allah u.” ‘Abd Allóh ibn ‘Abbós g says, “Anyone who hurts a jurist hurts
the Blessed Prophet s.”
ûófiþ Abñ al-Qósim Ibn ‘Asókar advises,
O my brother, listen closely! May He grant you and I the ways to
achieve His pleasure, and may He include us amongst the people
who fear Him as is His right to be feared. I have heard that back-
biting of the scholars is extremely poisonous, and we know how
Allah u exposes the weaknesses and faults of one who ridicules
them. It is the way of Allah u that He exposes the faults of those
209
who ridicule the scholars and corrupts the hearts of those who loosen
their tongue against them.
Shaikh ‘Abd al-ûayy writes in his Fatówó,
The jurists mention that one who swears at the friend of Allah u or
scholars of Dīn due to his contempt for knowledge is a disbeliever.
If it was for another reason he will be a grave sinner at the very least
and will be deserving of the wrath of Allah u in this world and in
the Hereafter.
He further corroborates this with the statements of the jurists, ayas of
the Qur’an, and the aúódõth.
In brief, those who debase the friends of Allah u harm themselves
more than anyone else. This is something clearly proven in the aúódõth
and the decrees of the jurists. Those who can take out time are encouraged
to read al-I‘tidól in this matter.
@
‘THEIR CROOKED IS ALSO STRAIGHT’
One of the helpers of Shaikh Rashīd Aúmad Gangohī often had clairvoy-
ance of the graves. He sat in the cemetery [by my father’s
5
grave] and then
came for condolences and gave me three messages from my father.
First he said, “I am not in debt so do not worry.” I was very concerned
about my father’s debt of 8000 rupees. The second day after he died, I
consulted with my uncle Shaikh Ilyós and then decided to send a postcard
to each of my father’s creditors stating that my father had passed away and
that I take responsibility for whatever he owed you.
At the time, my shaikh, Shaikh Sahóranpñrī, was in ûijóþ. He did not
like what I wrote to the creditors. He said it would have been better if I had
written, “My father has left an inheritance of books [Shaikh Zakariyyó’s
father owned a bookstore]. You may take whatever he owed you in books.”
The second message he sent was, “Do not worry about so and so per-
son. His criticism did not harm me but in fact was detrimental for him.”
My father was referring to a person [who was a teacher in Maþóhir al-
‘Ulñm where Shaikh Zakariyyó’s father and later where Shaikh Zakari-
yyó himself taught] who hated my father and always looked for ways to
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denigrate him. I was worried that he would continue in this manner but
then I myself saw the consequences of his enmity for my father. He was
deposed from his position and Shaikh Sahóranpñrī eventually expelled
him from the school.
The third message was, “Be fearful of the friends of Allah u for their
crooked is also straight.” Being young and a student I could not under-
stand how something crooked could be anything but crooked, regardless
of whether it came from a friend of Allah u or a worldly person.
Ten years later, in 1335/1917, I was doing research for the book Bazl
al-Majhñd while in Madina. My Shaikh sometimes received petty com-
plaints from people whom I knew very well [that they were lying] about
the principal of the school [about matters relating to the school]. At that
time, I handled my shaikh’s letters and responded to his letters for him.
My Shaikh never gave much attention to the complaints, but as I was
responding to his letters on his behalf, I would respond harshly. But in
1335/1917, I was returning from ûijóþ with Shaikh ‘Abd al-Qódir. Shaikh
Sahóranpñrī gave him a letter for the principal which stated, “You are
mistreating so and so person. Take special care of him and treat him nic-
er.” Shaikh ‘Abd al-Qódir gave this letter in my presence to the principal
who retorted, “He writes lies, not complaints.”Suddenly, Shaikh ‘Abd al-
Qódir became full of anger. It was then that I recalled the message from
my father [‘be fearful of the pious for their crooked is also straight’]. I
remember how I had difficulty understanding what that meant. Now as
I looked upon Shaikh ‘Abd al-Qódir, the reality of the statement dawned
on me that it was true that the man lied and wrote false complaints.
Shaikh ‘Abd al-Qódir replied, “You are right. Wrong is wrong, but re-
member that if the friends of Allah u ever feel anything against you,
though it may be due to an erroneous complaint, it will bring harm to
you in one way or another.”
After this incident, I saw many times how hurting the friends of
Allah u can put one into hardship. I became fearful after this and re-
minded my friends, “Do not be proud of being on the righteous and avoid
hurting the friends of Allah u. Always keep your record straight with
them as much as possible.”
211
@
THOSE WHO DECLARE WAR AGAINST THE FRIENDS
OF ALLAH u
Shaikh al-Islóm Ibn Taimiya wrote that in the hadith of Bukhórõ
Allah u says, “I declare war on one who makes My friend his enemy.” He
[Ibn Taimiya] writes,
This is the most authentic hadith about the friends of Allah u. The
Blessed Prophet s said, “Whoever makes an enemy of the friend
of Allah u has placed himself in the battlefield against Allah u.”
In a glorified hadith, Allah u says, “Whoever ridicules my friend,
challenges Me to war. In anger for My friend, I become like a furi-
ous lion.” This is because the friends believe in Allah u and be-
friend Him. They only love whom Allah u loves and despise who
Allah u despises, and are angry with whom Allah u is angry. Also,
they order what Allah u orders and prohibit what He prohibits.
Shaikh Rashīd Aúmad Gangohī said, “The faces of those who debase
the scholars are turned away from the qibla in their graves. Whoever is
doubtful may go and see for himself.”
This same topic has been discussed in al-I‘tidól wherein it says that the
glorified hadith,
ِ بْرَحْلاِب ُهُ تْن َ ذآ ْدَ قَ ف اّيِلَو يِل ىَداَع ْنَم
I declare war on he who makes an enemy of My friend.
is narrated by Abñ Huraira g in Bukhórõ, and also by ‘ô’isha j,
Maimñna j, Anas g, and Abñ Imóma g. Wahab ibn Munabba says,
“I read a verse in the Psalms of David [Zabñr] in which Allah u says, ‘I
swear by My honor and majesty, whoever debases My friend has prepared
himself for war with Me.’”
6
The Blessed Prophet s said, “Jibró’õl e narrates that Allah u says,
‘Whosoever debases my friend, has prepared himself for war with Me. In
my love for My friends, I am enraged like a furious lion.’”
7
It is still bearable if one’s ears are cut, his eyes gouged, and arms and
legs dismembered for debasing the friends of Allah u for the pains and
Debasing the Friends of Allah u
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
212
tribulations of this world will come to an end and the doors of repentance
are still open. But what is one to do if his õmón is destroyed? The scholars
say that besides dealing in usury and debasing the friends of Allah u, no
other sin is mentioned in the Qur’an and Sunna which incites war with
Allah u. This is a clear indication of the graveness of these two sins and
that any person involved in any one of them may die in disbelief.
The author of Maþóhir al-ûaqq writes, “The declaration of war indi-
cates an unfavorable death. It is the greatest wish of every Muslim to gain
the eternal blessing of Allah u to die as a Muslim. You can only imagine
how destructive a matter must be which leads to death in disbelief.”
To hold contempt for the ýñfiyó who establish the Sunna, destroy the
innovations, especially those who are also great scholars of Dīn and are
pious, and who are keepers of the esoteric meanings, is a disaster. In Islam,
the threat against one who deals with the friends of Allah u in this way is
dangerous. What a formidable position to be in war with Allah u.
When a person becomes hostile towards the friends of Allah u it is
clear proof that such a person is full of defiance of Allah u. It is most
likely that such a person will die in disbelief.
Sha‘rónī writes in ùabaqót al-Kubró,
Imam Abñ Turób Nashabī, one of the greatest of the ýñfiyó, says,
“When any person becomes defiant of Allah u, objections and ac-
cusations against the friends of Allah u becomes beloved to him.”
In other words, any person who loses touch with Allah u becomes
accustomed to raising objections against the friends of Allah u.
I have discussed this book at length in al-I‘tidól in ten to twelve pages.
Where loving the friends of Allah u is the most effective antidote hating
them is the most deadly poison. I always advise my friends that there are
many ways of serving the Dīn and participating in every single one of them
is difficult: becoming a hadith master, jurist, gaining taqwó, performing a
lot of optional üalót, to fast continuously, etc. But if a person develops love
for the friends of Allah u then by the rule mentioned in the hadith that,
ّبَحَ ا ْنَم َعَم ُءْرَمَْلا
A man will be with whom he loves.
8
213
He will attain a great portion of reward as if working in each one of
these fields of Dīn [as all those who served the Dīn in different capacities
were all friends of Allah u].
و يلسرلا ديس يلع ملسلاو ةلصلاو يلاعلا بر ل دملا اناوعد رخآو
يعجا هعابتا و هباحصا و هلا يلع و يلاعلا بر بيبح و ييبنلا تاخ
يحارلا محرا اي كتحرب
And our final supplication is that all praise is due to Allah, the
Cherisher of the Worlds, and may His eternal peace and blessings be
upon the Master of the Messengers, the Seal of the Prophets, the
Beloved to the Lord of the Worlds, Muhammad s, and upon his
family and companions, and all those who followed him, with Your
Mercy, O Most Merciful of the Merciful.
Completed before Maghrib on the day of Jumu‘a on the 11th of
Jumóda al-Awwal 1397 [April 29th 1977] in the Masjid of the Blessed
Prophet s-Muúammad Zakariyyó, may he be pardoned.
@
Debasing the Friends of Allah u
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
214
@
ENDNOTES
1 9:100
2 Kanz al-‘Ummól, 3/179
3 Kanz al-‘Ummól, 1/515
4 Bukhórõ, al-Tawóðu‘
5 Shaikh Muúammad Yaúyā Kāndhelwī (1871-1917) was Shaikh Zakariyyā’s father. He
was appointed by his shaikh, Shaikh Khalīl Aúmad Sahāranpūrī, to teach the books
of hadith after he [Shaikh Khalīl Aĥmad] migrated to ûijāz. Throughout his life he
taught hadith and recited one Qur’an daily for six months after he memorized Qur’an
at the age of seven [approximately 464 Qur’an]. He possessed the rare ability of being
able to recite Qura’n while doing any work without stumbling in his recitation.
6 al-Mu‘ jam al-Ausaø, 1/192
7 Kanz ‘Ummól, 1/231
8 Bukhórõ, ‘Alómatu al-ûubb fi Allóh
215
Appendix I
Fiqh Terminology
1 The general [‘ómm] is defined as a word which applies to many
things, not limited in number, and includes everything to which it is
applicable.
2 The specific [khóü] is defined as a word which is applied to a limited
number of things, including everything to which it can be applied,
whether it be one or two or a hundred.
1
3 The homonym [mushtarak] is a word which has more than one
meaning.
2
4 The interpreted meaning [mu’awwal ] is the meaning which is de-
rived after a careful study of the word usage and its context and other
such helpful signs by which the single meaning of that word can be
discovered.
The manifest [þóhir] is a word which has a clear meaning and yet is open
to interpretation [ta’wõl ].
Another type of manifest is the naüü, the only difference between the two
being that the latter does not constitute the dominant theme of the text
whereas the naüü does.
The unequivocal [mufassar] is a word whose meaning is completely clear
and is, at the same time, in harmony with the context in which it appears.
The transparent [muúkam] is a word or words whose meaning is clear and
beyond doubt and not open to interpretation [ta’wõl ].
3
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
216
The obscure [khafõ] denotes a word which has a basic meaning but is partial-
ly ambiguous in respect of some of the individual cases to which it is applied.
The difficult [mushkil ] denotes a word which is inherently ambiguous, and
whose ambiguity can only be removed by means of research and ijtihód.
The ambivalent [mujmal ] denotes a word or text which is inherently un-
clear and gives no indication as to its precise meaning.
The intricate [mutashóbih] denotes a word whose meaning is a total
mystery.
4
1 The literal [úaqõqõ] is a word used in its primary and original meaning.
2 The metaphorical [majóz] is when a word is taken from its original
meaning and transferred to a secondary one on grounds of a relation-
ship between the two meanings.
3 The plain [üarõú] is the application of a word as such that it clearly
discloses the speaker’s intention
4 The allusive [kinóya] denotes a form of speech which does not clearly
disclose the intention of its speaker.
5
The explicit meaning [‘ ibórat al-naüü] is the immediate meaning of the text
which is derived from the obviousness of the words.
The allusive meaning [ishórat al-naüü] is not obvious in the text but which
is understood concomitantly and rationally through deep analysis of indi-
cations therein.
The inferred meaning [dalólat al-naüü] is derived from the spirit of the text
though it may not be indicated in its words. Unlike the explicit and allu-
sive meaning the inferred meaning is derived through analogy by way of
an effective cause [‘ illa] that is common between the explicit and meaning
that is derived through inference.
The required meaning [iqtiða’ al-naüü] is the meaning on which the text
itself is silent and yet which must be read into it if it is to fulfil its proper
objective.
6
217
Appendix I
@
ENDNOTES
1 Kamólõ, Muúammad Hóshim. Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence, 104
2 Ibid, 119
3 Ibid, 91-97
4 Ibid, 99-102
5 Ibid, 116-118
6 Ibid, 125-128
218
Appendix II
Hadith Terminology
A Reversed Hadith [Maqlñb]
This hadith denotes a reverse in the name of two narrators.
A Disrupted Hadith [Muðtarib]
This hadith denotes a disruption in the chain of transmission [sanad]
or wording [matan] of a hadith which may come in the form of a
change or confusion in the wording of the hadith and/or change or
confusion in a narrator within the chain of transmission.
A Dot-Distorted Hadith [Muüaúúaf ]
A dot-distorted hadith denotes an omission or addition of a diacriti-
cal point in a word within the wording [matan] of a hadith.
A Vowel-Distorted Hadith [Muúarraf ]
A vowel-distorted Hadith denotes an omission or addition of a dia-
critical mark in a word within the wording of the hadith.
Attribution of a Narration to the Blessed Prophet s [Marfñ‘ ]
is when the hadith is transmitted in ascending order to the Blessed
Prophet s.
Attribution of a Narration to a Companion l [Mauqñf ]
is when a hadith is transmitted in ascending order to a
Companion l of the Blessed Prophet s. Attribution of a hadith
to any of the First Successors to the Companions l [Tóbi‘õn] of
the golden era [khair al-qurñn] [mauqñf ]—is when the hadith is
219
Appendix II
transmitted in ascending order to the First Successors who came im-
mediately after the Companions l.
An Authoritative Transmission [musnad]
is when each narrator asserts hearing the hadith directly from his
teacher throughout the chain.
An Absolute High-ranking Transmission [al-‘Aluww al-Muølaq]
is a hadith whose chain of transmission reaches the Blessed
Prophet s in ascending order and contains the smallest number of
narrators of all the chains of transmission of that hadith.
A Relative High-ranking Transmission [al-‘Aluww al-Nasabõ]
is a hadith whose chain of transmission reaches one of the great
imams of hadith [as in Sh‘uba, Mólik, Sufyón al-Thaurõ] in ascend-
ing order and which contains the smallest number of narrators of all
the chains of transmission of that hadith.
One type of relative high-ranking narration [al-‘Aluww al-Nasabõ]
is the conforming narration [al-Muwófaqa] in which the narrator
transmits the hadith from the teacher of one of the great imams of
hadith through a different narrator. In this way, he conforms with
the great imam on arriving at the same teacher for that hadith.
The Equal Transmission [al-Musówót]
If the number of narrators between the narrator to the end is
the same as that of another chain of transmission of the same
hadith from anyone of the imams of hadith [Bukhārī, Muslim,
Abñ Dówñd].
The Handshake Transmission [Muüófaúa]
is a sub-type of the equal transmission [al-Musówót] except that the
number of narrators in one chain is the same as another chain until
the student of the imam who is transmitting the same hadith with
a different chain. In this way, the narrator of the first chain is trans-
mitting the same hadith from the imam as the student but with a
different chain of transmission. Since the narrator met the imam it is
called the handshake transmission [Muüófaúa] because when people
meet they also shake hands.
Shari‘a & Tarīqa
220
A Descending Transmission [Nuzñl]
is the longest chain of transmission in any hadith.
A Contemporary Transmission [Aqrón]
When a narrator transmits a hadith from a narrator who is of the
same age group, met the same teachers of aúódõth, and transmitted
hadith from the elders like himself.
The Reciprocal Transmission [Mudabbaj]
The reciprocal narration [Mudabbaj] is a sub-type of a contemporary
narration [Aqrón] in which both narrators are contemporaries, the
only differerence being that in the reciprocal narration [Mudabbaj]
both narrators transmit hadith from each other.
Transmission of the Elders from the Younger [Riwóyat al-Akóbir
‘an al-Aüóghir]
If a narrator transmits a hadith from one who is younger than him in
age, of a lower caliber or lower level in his knowledge and sharpness
in memorization of aúódõth.
The Preceder and the Follower Transmission [Al-Sóbiq wa al-Lóúiq]
When two narrators transmit from the same teacher and one dies
before the other.
The Faithful Transmission [Musalsal]
When the wording used by each narrator in a chain to describe the
transmission of the hadith from his teacher is the same throughout
the chain.
The Unified Transmission [Muttafiq]
is when the names of the narrators and the narrator’s fathers are the
same in a chain.
The Differential Transmission [Muftariq]
is the opposite of the the Unified Transmission [Muttafiq] in that the
names of the narrators and the narrator’s fathers are different.
The Concordant Transmission [Mu’talif ]
is when the names of the narrators are spelled and pronounced the
same in a chain.
The Discordant Transmission [Mukhtalif ]
is when the names of the narrators are spelled the same but pro-
nounced differently.
The Resembling Transmission [Mutashóbih]
is when the names of the narrators in a chain are spelled and pro-
nounced the same but the names of their fathers are pronounced
differently though they are spelled the same.

Appendix II